FROM    TONKIN    TO    INDIA 

BY  THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  IRAWADI 
January  '95-jANUARY  '96 


I'rince  Henri  and  his  Companions,   MM.   Roux  and   liriftaud. 


FROM 
TONKIN     TO     INDIA 


BY  THE  SOURCES  OF  THE   IRAWADI 


Januar\'  "qs-Januarv  "96 


PRINCE     HENRI     D'ORLEANS 

TRANSLATED    I!Y   HAM  LEY   BENT,    M.A. 
ILLUSTRATED    BY   G.    VUILLIER 


^f^^^'^;,":^^. 


LI5SOU    TVI*ES 


NEW    YORK 
DODD,   MEAD,   &   COMPANY 

189S 


MAI'   AND    GEOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX 


E  M  I  L  K     R  O  U  X 

e:nseu;ni-:  de  vaisseau 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I.— HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

My  Companions — Plan  of  Travel — Death  of  M.  de  Grandmaison — M.  Briffaud — At  Hanoi — 
Final  Preparations — Our  Men — Ascent  of  the  Red  River  by  Steamer — \'en-Tay — Laokay — 
By  Junk  to  Mahao — First  Difficulties  with  the  Chinese — On  to  Mongtse — Stay  at  the  Con- 
sulate— Situation  of  the  Missionaries^We  organise  the  Caravan — A  Walk  in  the  Town — 
The  Market — General  Ma — Customs  Officials — Life  of  the  Europeans  at  Mongtse — Climate 
— The  Plague — Food  Resources  ........ 


CHAPTER  n.— FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

Departure  from  Mongtse — Descent  to  Manhao — Cross  the  Red  River — Mafou  F'ears — Explora- 
tion— On  the  Right  Bank  ;  Ascent — Difficulties  with  our  Men — The  Hou-Nis — At  Fong- 
chen-lin — Hospitality  of  a  Chinese  Mandarin — Hydraulic  Pestles — The  Lintindjous — Hou- 
Nis  again — By  the  River  Side — District  of  the  Pais — First  Appearance  of  Lolos — New 
Natives  of  the  Miaotse  Tribe — A  Few  Words  on  the  Natives  of  Minnan — Pretty  Country 
by  the  River — Isa  ;  Particulars  of — Hou-Ni  Adventure — Souto  ;  Discovery  of  Lolo  MSS. — 
Fresh  P'acts  about  the  Hou-Nis  and  the  Pais — At  Lou-tchou  ;  Lodge  with  a  Lolo  Chief ; 
Information  concerning  the  Lolos — Our  Followers — Fran9ois — The  Urchin — Victims  of  a 
Theft — Our  Prisoners — Death  of  my  Horse — Difficult  Passage  of  the  La-niou-ho — Renewed 
Trouble  with  the  Mafous — More  Natives,  the  Hatous — Passage  of  the  Black  River — Fire  ! 
— Muong-le — Halt  at  Muong-le  ;  Tidings  of  i],  Pavie — The  Market ;  Trade  Statistics — 
Scene  among  the  Mafous — On  the  Road  again  ;  a  Hailstorm,  and  its  Effects — Worship  of 
the  Wood  Deity — In  the  Basin  of  the  Mekong — Forest  Bivouac — 500th  Kilometre — Chantzeu 
and  his  Steed — Pretty  Scenery — Arrival  at  Ssumao    ......         35 

CHAPTER  HI.— SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

Stay  at  Ssumao — Civility  of  the  Mandarin — Troubles  with  our  Men — We  start  for  the  West — 
Mules  Stolen — Among  the  Pais — The  Mekong — The  Lochais — Dayakeu — Theft  of  Roux's 
Baggage — Disappearance  of  Nam — Lolo  Dances — Roux's  Digression  on  the  Mekong  Right 
Bank — Crossing  of  the  Se-kiang — The  Pou  Mas — Linguen,  a  Pretty  Valley — Near  the 
Salwen  Basin — Stop  at  Mienning — Ruse  of  our  Followers — The  Makotou  Stabbed — 
Chinese  Character — Mong-Ma — Dismissal  of  Frangois — A  Mutiny  Averted — Vunchou — 
Elephants — Chunning-Fou — Bridge  over  the  Mekong — -Valley  of  the  Vang-pi — Plain  of 
Meng-hua-ting — Lake  of  Tali  (Er'hai) — .\rrival  at  Tali-Fou  .  .  .  .         S4 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  IV.— TALI-FOU 


Father  Leguilcher — Hislorj-  of  Tali — Francis  Garnier^Murder  of  Margary — Mussulman  War — 
Persecution  of  Christians — Our  Relations  with  the  Mandarins — Trade — The  Minchias — 
Environs  of  Tali — The  Lake — Chinese  Superstition   ......        12S 


CHAPTER  v.— FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

Caravan  Reconstituted — Joseph — Departure  from  Tali — Fong-Vu — Cross  the  Vang-pi — Salt 
Works  at  Tien-eul-tsin — Dread  of  the  "  Barbarians  " — Bridge  over  the  Mekong — Fey-long- 
kiao — Strange  Gods — Lao  ;  Extreme  Chinese  Village — \'alley  Tangle — The  Salwen — A 
Friendly  Toussou — His  Office — Between  the  two  Rivers — The  "Gate  of  the  Tiger" — Sub- 
terranean Cavern — Lissou  Tallies — The  Mekong  again — Cord  Bridge  at  Piao-tsen — New 
Vear's  Trees — Tono  Monstrosities — A  Thief  Forestalled — Lamasjens — Successful  Robbery  ; 
an  Unfortunate  Loss — Native  Dance — Lamasjen  and  Lissou  Customs — A  \"illage  Esmeralda 
— Administration — False  Alarms — In-Chouan  ;  Ruined  Village — Side  Expedition  to  Teki — 
Explanation  of  Wild  Loutses — Toti — Expected  Attack — On  Guard — Cross-Bows  and 
Poisoned  Arrows — Deities  at  Fong-Chouan  ;  Joseph  as  Cicerone — Curious  Emblems — 
Dift'erent  Names  of  the  Salwen — First  Mention  of  the  Kiou-Kiang — Loutses  and  their 
Prisoners — With  Dance  and  Song — To  the  Spirit  of  the  Earth — Thibetan  Tents  Sighted — 
— Town  of  Hsiao-Ouisi — Father  Tintet — Trials  of  the  Missionaries — News  from  Tali — Full 
Stop  on  the  Right  Bank — We  recross  the  Mekong  at  Halo — Hopatie  Fete — Caravan 
Divided — Lamaserai  of  Kampou — Description — Points  of  .Similarity  between  Roman 
Catholicism  and  Thibetan  Buddhism — Yetche  :  its  Ruler  and  People — The  Mossos — Their 
History,  Customs,  and  Method  of  Writing — Visit  to  the  King — Mosso  equivalent  for  Bell, 
Book,  and  Candle — Arrival  at  Tsekou — Retrospect   ......        143 


CHAPTER  VI.— SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

labours  of  the  Missionaries — Honest  Socialism — Persecution  of  Christians — Population  of 
Tsekou — Cattle-rearing — Industries — Hunting — Fauna — Flora — Thibetans — Their  Religious 
Beliefs — Lamaserais — Customs  —  Superstitions  —  Fables  —  Songs  —  Return  of  Roux  from 
Atentse  ........... 


CHAPTER  VII.— TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

Choice  of  Homeward  Route — Caravan  Re-formed — Start  in  the  Mekong  Valley — Fears  at 
Landjre — Early  Obstacles — Francis  Gamier  Peak — N'alley  of  the  Salwen — Loutses  and 
Kioutses — Tionra  :  Crossing  the  Salwen — Relations  with  the  Lamaserai  of  Tchamoutong — 
Mules  Abandoned — On  Foot — Tamalou — In  the  Basin  of  the  Irawadi — The  Kiou-Kiang — 
The  Kioutses — .-^t  Toulong — Difficulties  of  Recruiting  and  Revictuatling — Mosquitoes  on 
the  Banks  of  the  River — Rock  Climbing — Deidoum — Aspect  of  the  Kiou-Kiang  \alley— 
Our  Men — Gold-Washing — News  of  a  Large  River  and  a  Plain — The  Du-tchu-mu — 
Perilous  Position — Saved — Leeches — The  Big  River  ;  Telo  and  Dublu — On  all  sides 
Mountains — Painful  Torrent  March — Death  of  "Diamai" — Duma — Apon  Explained — 
Equatorial  Scenery — A  Large  \'illage — Beside  the  Nam  Tsan — Fish-Dam — A  New  Race — 
Pandam — No  Salt — Melekeu — People  of  Moam  (Khaniti) — One  more  Col — Village  Fete^ 
The  Plain        ...........       244 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  VIII.-KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

FAGR 

Enter  the  Plain  of  Khaniti — Blackmailing  at  Tsaukan — Passage  of  the  Nam-Kiou — Khamti 
(Padao) — Interviews  with  the  King's  Son  ;  with  the  King — English  Influence — Account  of 
the  Khamti  Thais — Pagodas — Panlian — Carrier  Difficulties — Departure — Again  in  the 
Mountains — Vexatious  Delays — Desertion  of  Porters — Critical  Position — Fever — Three 
Columns — Roux  falls  in  Rear — Pass  to  India — Death  of  an  old  Christian — Short  Commons 
— Two  more  Men  left  behind — We  abandon  Tent  and  Baggage — Hunger — F"irst  A'illage — 
Mishmis — Revictualling  the  Stragglers — Singphos — The  Way  Lost — Plain  of  Assam — Bishi ; 
Good  Treatment — Details  concerning  Village — Roux  Rejoins — Easy  Progress — Elephants — 
Reception  by  a  Singpho  Chief — The  Brahmaputra — Sadiya — Cordial  Welcome  from  the 
English  Agent — Position  at  Sadiya  ;  Native  Population — Tea  Plantations — Method  of 
Work — En  route  for  Calcutta — Descent  of  the  Brahmaputra — Historical  Reflections  on 
India ;  Dupleix  ..........       307 


APPENDIX  A    .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .361 

APPENDI.\  B     .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .418 

■GENERAL  INDEX        ..........       461 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Prince  Henri,  MM.  Roux,and  Briffaud  Frontispiece 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Red  River  . 

I 

Nam 

5 

At  Manhao 

13 

Old  Hou-Ni  Woman  .... 

14 

Young  Hou-Ni  Woman 

15 

Lolo  Woman  at  Mongtse    . 

16 

Chinese  working  rude  Crane 

22 

Near  the  Market-place,  Mongtse 

25 

Poula  Women,  Mongtse 

27 

Group  of  Inhabitants,  Mongtse   . 

29 

A  Street  in  Mongtse  .... 

33 

Inn  between  Mongtse  and  Manhao 

37 

On  the  Red  River       .... 

39 

Chinese  Girl  before  her  House    . 

44 

A  Yao 

47 

Harrower,  Miaotse  Tribe    . 

5° 

Woodland  Path 

53 

A  Hou-Ni 

57 

Lolo  Woman 

62 

Woman  at  Ngapa        .... 

64 

Feeding  the  Prisoner  .... 

6S 

Hatous 

69 

Passage  of  the  Lysiang-Kiang,  or  Black  Ri\  e 

r       71 

Francois     ...... 

78 

Halt  of  our  Men          .... 

So 

Street  in  Ssumao         .... 

S5 

Pagoda  in  Ssumao       .... 

86 

White  Rocks  in  Valley- 

89 

Embarkation  of  Mules  at  Notcha  Tian-pi 

96 

A  Lochai 

98 

Roux  at  Work 

103 

Raft  on  the  Se-kiang  .... 

106 

Little  Pagoda  on  Hill 

loS 

Carriers  met  on  the  Road    . 

119 

On  the  Banks  of  the  Siao-kiang,  or  Yang-pi 

Pagoda  Khou-an-yn-Miao    . 

Father  Leguilcher 

The  Pet     . 

Street  in  Tali-Fou 

Tali-Fou  Woman 

Lake  Er-hai 

Main  Gate,  Tali-Fou 

Some  of  our  Escort     . 

Hanging  Bridge  over  the  Yang-pi 

Briffaud  on  the  Liana  Bridge 

Lissou  Woman  . 

Attachment  of  Cord  Bridge  at  Piao-tsen 

Mode  of  Crossing  on  a  Single-line  Bridge 

"Eagle  Beak" 

Native  Designs  on  Door  Lintel  . 
"  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  wade" 
Torrent  Bed  near  Teki 
Lissous  at  Lameti  .... 
Father  Soulie  ..... 
Passing  a  Mule  over  the  Mekong  at  Tsedjrong 
Mission  Buildings,  Tsekou  . 
Father  Dubernard 
A  Tsekou  Christian  . 
Another  Tsekou  Christian  . 
Christian  ^^"omen,  Tsekou  . 
•\  Thibetan  of  Tsekou 
Girl  from  Tsarong 
Torrent  Scene,  13th  September 
An  Obo  .... 
Francis  Gamier  Peak 
Kioutse  Types  . 
Loutse  Types 
Bamboo  Bridge  over  Torrent,  Valley  of  the 
Kiou-Kiang     ...... 


PAGE 
122 
123 
128 
132 

136 
139 
142 
144 
149 
157 

171 
172 
176 
185 
187 
190 
196 
218 
219 
220 
221 
224 
228 

231 
236 

243 
253 
255 
257 
260 
262 

274 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


"Down    with    a   Crash    into   the   foaming 
Water  ■'  . 

Midday  Halt 

Beside  the  Du-tchu-mu 
A  Kioutse  of  Duma     .... 
The  Reunnam    ..... 
SHppery  Footing — Brink  of  the  Nam  T.sani 
Idiot  Woman      ..... 
Passing  the  Torrent  of  the  Kiou-Kiang 
On  the  Nam-Kiou       .... 
The  King's  Son  and  his  Escort  at  Khaniti 
Poulanghing,  our  Guide  from  Khaniti . 


'AGt 

• 

PAGE 

ReHgious  Monuments  at  Panlian 

.     326 

277 

lifting  over  the  Nam-Lang 

33' 

282 

I-ord  on  the  Nam-Dihing    . 

345 

287 

Chief  at  Bishi      . 

346 

293 

Singphos    . 

349 

29s 

Singpho  Woman 

35° 

299 

Thibetan  DwelHng 

357 

302 

Mosso  Manuscript  No.   i 

448,  450 

306 

Mosso  Manuscript  No.  2 

452,  454 

310 

Fragment  of  a  Mosso  Manuscript 

•     456 

313 

Lolo  Signs  with  their  Meanings  . 

•     457 

325 

Specimen  of  Lolo  Manuscri 

pt      . 

457 

-J^Jfc^Sf 


/, 


(S^**'^ 


'-^^ 


«"7^ 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Red  River. 


CHAPTER    I 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 


My  Companions — Plan  of  Travel — Death  of  M.  de  Grandmaison — M.  Briffaud — At 
Hanoi — -Final  Preparations — Our  Men — Ascent  of  the  Red  River  by  Steamer — 
Yen-Tay — Laokay — By  Junk  to  Manhao — First  Difficulties  with  the  Chinese — 
On  to  Mongtse — Stay  at  the  Consulate — Situation  of  the  Missionaries — We  organise 
the  Caravan — A  Walk  in  the  Town — The  Market — General  Ma — Customs  Officials — 
Life  of  the  Europeans  at  Mongtse — Climate — The  Plague — Food  Resources. 

Ox  the  13th  of  September  1894  M.  de  Grandmaison  and 
I,  having  just  returned  from  traveUing  in  Madagascar,  picked 
up  M.  Roux  at  Aden,  where  he  had  arrived  direct  from 
France. 

Although    his     duties     as     a     naval     lieutenant     had     hitherto 
prevented    our  personal  acquaintance,   a  correspondence  of  several 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

years  had  given  me  an  insight  into  the  character  and  sterhng 
worth  of  my  future  comrade,  and  we  were  in  complete  accord  both 
as  to  the  end  to  be  achieved  and  the  means  for  its  attainment. 
As  soon  as  I  expressed  my  intention  of  starting  on  this  fresh 
voyage  of  discovery,  Roux  at  once  decided  to  apply  for  leave 
of  absence  to  accompany  me.  This  was  granted  by  the  Minister 
of  Marine  for  one  year,  and  when  we  now  met  for  the  first 
time  it  was  as  old  friends. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  we  three  found  ourselves,  full  of 
youth  and  high  spirits,  fired  with  the  same  enterprise  and  zeal 
for  our  country,  chatting  over  our  maps  on  board  the  Saghalien, 
eastward  bound. 

My  original  idea  had  been  to  complete  my  knowledge  of 
French  Indo-China,  and  especially  the  mountainous  districts  of 
Annam.  But  these  were  now  almost  familiar.  The  network  of 
such  recent  journeys  as  those  of  the  Pavie  Mission,  of  MM. 
Bonnin,  Grill,  and  Odenthal,  and  the  prospective  one  of 
Lieutenant  Debay,  left  but  small  tracts  on  the  map  to  be  traversed. 
We  turned  our  eyes  farther  north,  where  lay  the  hitherto 
unknown  course  of  the  Mekong  in  China.  We  felt  that  the 
work  initiated  by  Lagree  and  Francis  Garnier  ought  to  be 
continued  by  Frenchmen.  Moreover,  our  explorations  in  China 
outside  our  own  possessions  would  enable  us  to  gather  informa- 
tion that  should  be  of  profit  to  the  peaceful  commercial  expansion 
of  our  colonies.  Once  up  there,  it  would  be  idle  to  retrace  our 
steps.  When  we  should  have  ascended  the  valley  of  the  Mekong 
as  far  as  the  point  where  the  French  missionaries  had  established 
themselves  on  the  Thibetan-Chinese  frontier,  we  should  only  have 
to  turn  to  the  left  and  reach  India.  Map  travel  is  ever  easy. 
The  idea  of  a  return   through  absolutely  new  countries  took  my 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

companions'  fancy ;  the  proposal  was  carried  unanimously,  and 
our  plan  was  made. 

After  a  month  or  so  in  Cochin  China  and  Cambodia,  in 
the  provinces  of  Battambang  and  Angkor,  and  in  Annam,  we 
were  to  make  Tonkin  our  base  of  departure.  Skirting  the 
northern  or  Chinese  boundary  of  Tonkin  and  the  Laotian  States, 
we  would  endeavour  to  strike  the  IVIekong  at  the  point  where 
it  enters  Indo-China — that  is  to  say,  not  far  from  where  Garnier 
quitted  it.  Thence  we  should  follow  the  valley  of  the  river, 
keeping  as  near  as  possible  to  its  stream  in  order  to  determine 
its    undefined    course    in    China.       Our    highest    croal    was    to    be 

o  o 

Tsekou  on  the  frontier  of  Thibet.  Above  Tsekou  the  Mekong 
is  known  through  the  labours  of  missionaries.  We  should  halt 
at  Tali  Fou,  the  chief  western  mart  of  Yunnan.  And  for  our 
homeward  route  we  would  make  the  attempt  to  march  due 
west. 

Such  were  the  general  outlines  of  our  journey.  For  an 
undertaking  of  this  magnitude  all  available  subsidiary  chances 
should  be  assured.  One  important  factor  was  uncertain, — time. 
Roux  had  only  a  year's  leave ;  and  as  this  would  not  suffice, 
it  was  imperative  that  he  should  be  "seconded"  for  colonial 
service  of  indefinite  duration.  Given  this,  and  resolution,  there 
seemed  to  be  good  hope  of  ultimate  success. 

But  on  our  subsequent  arrival  at  the  rendezvous  at  Tonkin, 
in  the  end  of  December,  sad  news  awaited  us.  M.  de  Grand- 
maison,  who  had  gone  for  a  week  to  Hong-Kong  whilst 
we  were  visiting  Hue,  was  fated  never  to  rejoin  us.  He  had 
succumbed  to  a  sudden  illness.  Death,  in  thus  cutting  off  our 
comrade,  had  taken  heavy  toll  of  us  at  the  outset.  I  cannot 
refrain   from   rendering  brief   homage  here   to   the   memory  of  his 

3 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

intrepid  spirit,  who,  in  the  flower  of  youth,  with  name  and 
fortune,  was  willing  to  throw  in  his  lot  with  mine,  in  the  hope 
that  he  might  perhaps  some  day  return  to  do  good  work  for 
our  colonies. 

The  void  caused  by  this  event  only  served  to  bind  us  who 
survived  more  closely  to  each  other  and  to  our  task.  Roux 
having  at  this  time  received  the  sanction  for  his  colonial  transfer, 
we  two  resolved  to  carry  out  the  original  project  of  the  three, 
and  set  about  our  preparations  in  earnest. 

Whilst  he  proceeded  to  Hong-Kong  to  perform  the  sad  duty 
of  embarking  the  body  of  M.  de  Grandmaison,  and  to  consult 
with  M.  Desgodins,  the  well-known  missionary  of  Thibet,  besides 
making  various  purchases,  I  remained  at  Hanoi  adjusting  baggage 
and  encragfinor  followers. 

During  these  preliminaries  a  providential  accession  was  made 
to  our  little  band  in  the  person  of  M.  Briffaud,  one  of  the  older 
inhabitants  of  the  colony,  who  had  passed  eleven  years  in  Tonkin. 
He  was  on  the  point  of  returning  to  France,  but  being  a  pioneer 
at  heart  was  attracted  by  our  enterprise,  and  asked  to  be  allowed 
to  join  us  as  a  volunteer.  I  recalled  the  instance  of  Father 
Ddd^kens,  who,  si.x  years  before,  on  his  way  home  to  Belgium, 
elected  to  make  a  detour  in  our  company.  And  a  detour  it 
proved,  for  it  lasted  a  year,  and  traversed  Central  Asia 
and  Thibet.  But,  like  Father  Ddd^kens,  Briffaud  also  was 
gifted  with  the  sacred  fire  ;  he  was  inured  to  the  hardships  of 
travel,  and  possessed  experience,  health,  and  a  cheerful  disposition. 
These  were  more  than  enough  to  ensure  him  a  hearty  reception 
as  one  of  ourselves. 

On  the  morning  of  26th  January  1895  we  set  out  from  Hanoi 
on    board    the    Yiiniian.       Besides    our    three    selves,    our    party 

4 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 


consisted    of    four.       The    first    was    a   little    Annamite,    who    had 
been   with    me    before.      On   the    present   occasion   he  did    not   go 
far  with  us  ;    nor  did   I   subsequently  regret  him  :    he  would  never 
have  stood  the  sort  of  work  we  had  to  encounter.      At  Yen-Tay 
he  left  us  sick.     The  second,  Sao,  had  also  previously  accompanied 
me  to  Bangkok.      He  was  large  and  angular,  of  independent  temper, 
and  a  bit  of  a  grumbler,  but 
withal    a    safe    shot,    a    sure 
hunter,    and    proved    himself 
afterwards    eminently    practi- 
cal   in    an    emergency.       Sao 
spoke  little,  and  testified  his 
approbation  or  derision  by  a 
silent  smile,  which   displayed 
two   rows    of  beautiful   black 
teeth.       "Much  stupid"  was 
his   contemptuous   expression 
for  anyone  who  did  not  meet 
with  his  approval.      The  very 
reverse  of  Sao  was   Nam,  or 
the     Namoi    as    they    called  Cy^^'J 

him.  He  was  our  cook  ;  a 
dirty,  shrinking,  humble,  little 
old  thing,  who,  inasmuch  as 
he  was  worthy  and  longsuffering,  soon  became  the  butt  of  the 
party,  and  though  incessantly  chaffed  always  maintained  his  good- 
humour.  Poor  simple  soul.  Nam  trotted  on  from  country'  to 
country,  alike  unmoved  by  change  of  scene  or  people,  with  never 
a  question  as  to  whence  he  came  or  whither  he  went,  but  preparing 
our    food    throughout    with    conscientious    regularity.      Only    when 

5 


oK 


Nam. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

tobacco  ran  short  did  Nam  begin  to  be  unhappy  :  then,  indeed, 
the  situation  became  serious  to  him.  Nothing  was  more  char- 
acteristic of  our  chef  than  his  engagement.  One  day  at  Saigon, 
we  were  seeking  a  cook  before  leaving  for  Annam.  It  was  ten 
o'clock  ;  we  started  at  noon.  Someone  brought  Nam  to  us. 
"Are  you  willing  to  come?" — "Yes;  I  will  be  ready  at  four." 
"That  won't  do;  we  are  off  in  two  hours." — "All  the  same; 
I  come  back."  And  so,  hired  at  the  outset  for  only  a  few  weeks, 
the  Saigonnese  was  attached  for  many  a  long  month  to  our  retinue. 
A  lofty  principle  enlightened  the  breast  of  this  primitive  Asiatic, 
and  explained  his  conduct.  Nam  was  a  widower,  with  three 
children — three  little  gnaos  whom  he  adored,  and  for  whose  sake 
he  would  walk  far  and  work  hard  to  bring  back  money. 

Besides  our  Annamites  (the  boys  rarely  gave  their  names, 
and  were  known  by  their  numbers,  "Five,"  "Six,"  "Three,"  etc.), 
we  had  with  us  a  Chinese,  big  and  bony,  with  an  oily  yellow 
face,  evil,  treacherous,  and  hateful.  This  was  our  interpreter, 
Francois.  He  spoke  French  well,  and  was  furnished  with  good 
credentials  from  officers  of  the  ships  on  which  he  had  been  a  cook, 
as  well  as  from  the  mines  of  Hong-Hay,  where  he  had  been 
employed.  I  found  him  at  Langson,  and  engaged  him  at  once  ; 
for  it  is  difficult  to  meet  with  an  interpreter  in  Tonkin  who  can 
speak  the  Chinese  of  Yunnan,  which  is  the  tongue  of  Chang-Hay, 
the  pure  dialect  of  the  mandarins.  In  the  districts  we  were  about 
to  pass,  Cantonnese  would  be  of  no  use.  Although  I  had  written 
two  months  beforehand  to  Tonkin  to  secure  an  interpreter,  only 
one  could  be  shown  to  me,  and  he  smoked  opium  so  heavily,  and 
demanded  such  exorbitant  pay,  and  a  chair  to  travel  in,  that  we 
deemed  ourselves  lucky  to  secure  Francois,  despite  his  looks. 

We   had  a  great  amount    of  baggage,    and    were    fortunate   in 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

having  the  assistance  of  M.  d'Abbadie  to  escape  paying  excessive 
dues.  We  divided  it  into  two  parts — one  to  take  with  us,  and  the 
other  to  be  sent  from  Mongtse  straight  to  TaH,  as  a  reserve. 
In  the  beHef  that  our  experience  may  be  of  use  to  future  travellers, 
a  list  of  the  contents  of  the  packages  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 

We  reached  Yen-Tay  on  the  29th  January,  after  a  pleasant 
passage  under  the  escort  of  two  friends.  I  found  it  much  changed 
since  1890.  The  large  straw  huts  had  been  replaced  by  stone 
barracks,  some  o-ood  houses  had  been  built,  and  a  small  club 
erected.  I  took  advantage  of  our  halt  to  visit  the  coal  pits 
belonging  to  M.  d'Abbadie,  about  a  mile  above  Yen-Tay ;  the 
workings  extend  on  either  side  of  the  river  as  far  as  Tray-Hutt. 
The  coal  is  gaseous,  yielding  20  or  30  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter, 
compared  with  10  to  15  per  cent,  in  that  of  Hong-Hay.  Traces  of 
petroleum  have  been  found  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  an  engineer 
is  about  to  take  out  a  concession  for  graphite. 

After  a  stay  of  two  days  we  went  on  board  the  Bahoa,  a 
launch  of  only  a  few  feet  draught.  The  water  was  falling,  and 
as  this  was  probably  her  last  trip  for  the  season  we  arrived  only 
just  in  time.  We  took  leave  of  our  friends  and  of  the  officers 
who  had  given  us  so  cordial  a  reception.  From  henceforth  we 
should  not  look  upon  the  tricolor  again  for  a  long  time,  and  here 
we  left  behind  the  limits  of  civilisation  to  enter  upon  the  freedom 
of  travel.  We  were  eager  to  get  forward,  and  I  was  impatient 
until  I  should  find  myself  astride  a  nag,  with  a  pipe  in  my 
mouth,  seeing  things  which  others  had  not  seen,  in  strange 
countries,  where  the  interest  of  the  day  cloaked  the  uncertainty 
of  the  morrow. 

The  ascent  of  this  part  of  the  Red  River  was  not  as  rapid 
as  we  could   have  desired  ;    we  were  continually  running  aground 

7 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

upon  sandbanks.  I  could  not  but  admire  the  address  with 
which  our  crew  of  twelve  Annamites  sprang  into  the  stream 
and  laid  out  hawsers  ahead  to  haul  upon.  It  took  us  some- 
times five  or  six  hours  to  gain  about  a  hundred  yards.  During 
these  checks  I  employed  myself  in  making  washings  of  the  sand 
of  the  river,  findinfj  in  it   numerous  small  ofarnets. 

Owing  to  this  lowness  of  the  water  our  transit  occupied  five 
days  between  Yen-Tay  and  Laokay.  The  latter  little  town  had 
not  altered.  Its  houses  and  huts,  grouped  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Song-Coi,  are  separated  by  an  affluent  of  the  river,  called 
the  Nam-Ti,  from  the  Chinese  village  of  Song-Phong,  a  regular 
haunt  of  pirates  and  evil-looking  gallows-birds.  Song-Phong  is 
flanked  by  a  range  of  hills  forming  the  frontier.  The  crests 
dominate  the  slopes  of  our  side,  and  are  Chinese,  capped  by  our 
neighbours  with  a  series  of  forts.  On  the  right  bank  stood  the 
barrack  of  Coklen,  a  quaint  building  of  many  roofs  placed  one 
above  the  other  like  canisters. 

At  Laokay  we  received  the  hospitality  of  the  river  agent, 
M.  Dupont,  who  had  been  so  obliging  as  to  purchase  horses 
lor  us,  and  to  write  to  Mongtse  for  mules.  From  him  we  ob- 
tained some  information  about  the  place.  Commerce  has  scarcely 
made  any  advance  for  several  years.  The  opium  farm  has  been 
abolished,  but  the  monopoly  of  the  drug  with  China  has  been 
given  to  an  individual,  who  encumbers  the  sale  with  a  lo  per 
cent,  profit  for  himself.  Similarly,  the  pacification  of  the  district 
is  at  a  standstill.  Five  years  ago  one  could  travel  round 
Laokay  with  more  security  than  now.  Fresh  bands  had  over- 
run the  province.  Colonel  Pennequin  had  driven  them  back  into 
the  province  of  Tulong,  half  of  which  belongs  to  us.  The 
Chinese,  objecting  to  their  neighbourhood,  requested  us  to  relieve 

8 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

them  of  their  presence,  and,  at  the  intercession  of  the  Tsung-li- 
Yamen,  our  troops  received  orders  to  dislodge  the  pirates  from 
the  whole  of  Tulong.  Those  who  troubled  us  no  further  now 
returned  into  our  territory ;  to  counterbalance  which,  and  by 
way  of  showing  their  obligation  for  our  good  offices,  we  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  Chinese 
regulars  transfer  themselves  to  our  enemies.  Actually,  upon  the 
right  bank  a  band  of  more  than  three  hundred  might  be  counted. 
Armed  junks  constantly  patrol  the  river  to  guard  the  navigation. 
But  our  troops  are  tired  out  :    there  are  not  enough  of  them. 

During  our  stay  at  Laokay  we  took  part  in  a  hunt  which  was 
as  curious  as  it  was  unexpected.  Whilst  at  breakfast  with  M. 
Dupont  we  saw  a  sudden  stir  at  the  water-side,  people  running 
down  to  the  river,  and  boats  casting  off  as  hard  as  they  could. 
Out  we  rushed :  and  here  was  the  cause  of  all  this  hurly  ;  a 
stag,  which  had  innocently  descended  to  the  brink,  had  been 
viewed  and  headed  back  by  some  soldiers  on  the  right  bank. 
The  entire  population  turned  out  in  pursuit  ;  the  waters  were 
churned  by  a  struggling  crowd  of  junks,  pirogues  or  dug-outs, 
and  human  beings,  all  making  chase  down  stream.  A  light 
tricolor  on  the  head  of  the  quarry  alone  was  wanting  to  make 
the  game  resemble  a  14th  July  water  -  frolic.  The  poor  beast 
did  not  know  which  way  to  turn  ;  it  managed  to  escape  a  blow 
from  a  boat-hook,  which  only  wounded  it ;  it  was  but  to  prolong 
the  agony,  for  some  swimmers  awaiting  it  lower  down  grappled 
with  and  finished  it.  Then  came  the  question  as  to  who  was 
to  eat  it  :  every  boatman,  with  a  storm  of  oaths  and  protesta- 
tions, claimed  it  as  his  own.  In  the  midst  of  these  awakened 
appetites  one  felt  inclined  to  pity  the  animal;  but  then,  "que 
diable  aussi  allait-il  faire  en  cette  galere .'' " 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

At  Laokay  we  left  the  steamer.  From  here  we  were  to 
proceed  in  a  junk  retained  for  us  by  M.  Dupont.  But  the 
boatmen  declared,  not  without  reason,  that  two  junks  with  sixteen 
men  were  necessary  for  such  heavy  cargoes  over  some  of  the 
rapids.  So  we  had  to  wait  another  day  and  a  second  junk,  and 
twenty-four  hours  were  cut  to  waste  in  this  our  first  encounter 
with  the  Chinese.  I  warned  my  companions  that  they  would 
have  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  patience  before  dealing  with  the 
Celestial.     They  soon  learned  the  justice  of  my  remarks. 

The  mandarin  of  Song  -  Phong  sent  us  his  card,  with  a 
demand  that  we  should  pass  the  custom  -  house  and  submit  our 
passports  to  his  scrutiny  ;  adding  that  he  would  then  furnish  us 
with  a  guard  of  soldiers.  Our  answer  was  the  same  to  both 
demand  and  offer :  we  were  in  French  waters  just  as  much  as 
Chinese,  and  wanted  nothing. 

The  morning  of  the  7th  February  saw  us  under  way  on  two 
junks,  each  about  80  feet  long ;  the  crews  were  ranged  fore  and 
aft,  the  rudder  was  formed  of  large  spliced  spars,  and  the  waist  of 
the  vessel  was  covered  in  with  hatches.  Poling  was  our  chief  mode 
of  progression  ;  and  this  the  men  performed  adroitly  and  in  time. 
Whenever  it  served  we  took  advantage  of  the  wind.  A  husje  rect- 
angular  sail  was  hoisted  upon  a  couple  of  masts,  stepped  in  the 
shape  of  an  inverted  V,  to  catch  the  least  breeze,  for  which  the 
men  continually  whistled.  We  were  told  that,  dependent  on  its 
being  favourable  or  the  reverse,  the  voyage  would  occupy  three 
days  or  a  fortnight. 

yEolus  was  happily  propitious,   and   we  sailed  along  at  a  fair 

pace.     The  crew  was  composed  for  the  most  part  of  hybrid  Chinese 

or  Mann   mountaineers,  neighbours  of  the  Thos,  and   wearing  the 

Chinese  pigtail  and  blouse.      I  used  to  chat  with  them  of  an  evening 

10 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

when  the  boat  was  tied  up  for  the  night.  They  told  me  how, 
away  in  the  interior,  beyond  Longpo,  the  inhabitants  were  hairy, 
and  of  others  who  had  little  tails,  and  sat  upon  seats  adapted  to 
their  conformation.  I  had  already  heard  a  similar  distinction  attri- 
buted to  the  Mois.  The  conversation  drifted  into  legends,  and  I 
inquired  if  they  knew  the  Chinese  story  of  a  country  where  there 
were  only  women.  They  replied  in  the  affirmative,  and  added  that 
it  was  an  island  in  the  midst  of  a  lake  which  none  might  cross,  for 
the  waters  of  it  were  so  light  that  a  feather  cast  on  the  surface 
would  not  float.  "And  that  is  why,"  said  they,  "we  have  never 
landed  on  the  woman's  realm." 

A  laughter-loving  lot,  these  boatmen  also  were  hard  workers. 
Although  less  strong  than  when  I  had  descended  the  river  at  high 
flood,  the  rapids  still  were  numerous  ;  and  it  was  necessary  at  each 
for  the  double  crews  to  pass  the  junks  through  singly — a  tedious 
operation.  The  features  of  the  country  were  monotonous  ;  valleys 
enclosed  by  hills,  sparse  villages.  We  saw  rather  more  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  loth  February,  some  days  after  leaving  Laokay.  In 
one  bend  of  the  river  we  -discovered  a  religious  monument  in  the 
shape  of  a  rectangular  column  with  a  niche  at  its  base.  Hard  by 
was  a  small  town  of  bamboo  houses,  and  others  white  in  a  setting 
of  large  red-blossomed  trees.  The  name  of  the  place  was  Manhao. 
Down  by  the  river  lay  a  number  of  junks,  with  their  grove  of 
A-shaped  masts,  flying  a  little  flame-like  flag  or  sometimes  a  cock's 
tail.  On  the  opposite  or  right  shore  appeared  a  hamlet  of  thatched 
one-storey  houses,  reached  by  a  terrace  of  stone  steps,  shaded  with 
fine  trees.  The  site  of  this  place,  Lao-Minchang,  was  fresh  and 
picturesque. 

Our  men   were  very  pleased  with   themselves.     They  had   not 

told  us  that  we  were  approaching  the  end  of  our  stage,  but  kept  it 

1 1 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

as  a  surprise.  They  now  offered  thanks  to  their  gods  for  a  pros- 
perous voyage  by  burning  strings  of  crackers.  And  indeed  we  had 
been  lucky.  We  learned  later  in  a  letter  from  M.  Dupont  that  a 
band  of  pirates  had  actually  set  out  with  the  intention  of  capturing 
us  and  holding  us  to  ransom.  They  had  even  provided  themselves 
with  grenades  to  throw  into  the  junks.  We  owed  our  safety  to  our 
speed. 

If  we  had  enjoyed  quick  progress  by  water,  in  revenge  as  soon 
as  we  set  foot  on  land  we  made  acquaintance  with  those  inter- 
minable delays  which  are  due  to  the  apathy  or  the  ill-will  of  the 
yellow  race.  We  wished  simply  to  pass  through  Manhao  and  to 
push  on  to  Mongtse,  where  we  should  be  able  to  engage  muleteers, 
organise  our  caravan,  and  forward  our  reserve  baggage  to  Tali. 
It  took  us  four  days  before  we  could  even  start.  Our  first  diffi- 
culties were  with  the  custom-house.  The  coolies  refused  to  dis- 
embark the  loads  without  authority.  The  officials  insisted  on 
a  declaration,  which  I  refused,  as  our  passports  for  the  Yurman 
dispensed  with  it.  I  invited  them  to  come  on  board  :  they  would 
not  be  at  the  trouble.  I  threatened  them  with  all  the  thunders  of 
their  chief  at  Mongtse  :  they  did  not  seem  perturbed.  Nor  was  it 
until  after  long  hours  of  discussion  that  I  obtained  a  permit  which 
was  our  due,  and  which  they  might  have  issued  at  once. 

We  put  up  at  the  house  of  a  merchant  who  spoke  French  and 
had  been  M.  Bleton's  interpreter.  He  was  a  small  wizen  creature, 
whose  emaciated  features  and  shrunken  semi-transparent  hands  at 
once  told  the  tale  of  the  baneful  opium  passion  which  enslaved  him. 
Nevertheless  he  rendered  us  service  in  settling  money  matters.  We 
had  to  arrange  for  the  transport  of  ourselves  and  baggage  to 
Mongtse.  Our  ponies  had  certainly  arrived  from  Laokay,  and 
proved  sturdy  and  clever  ;  but  we  now  learned  that  the  mules  which 

12 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 


article  of  contraband  at  the  Manhao  custom-house  ;  the  dues  are 
collected  at  Mongtse.  The  rock-salt  comes  down  in  small  boats 
from  the  mines  situated  four  or  five  days  farther  up  the  river. 

Whilst  at  Manhao  the  market  was  held,  which  every  week 
attracts  the  villagers  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  scene  was 
one  of  great 
animation ;  and 
we  were  able  to 
get  a  glance  at 
many  of  the  hill 
folk,  with  their 
different  dresses 
and  dialects, 
with  whom  we 
were  later  to 
come  in  contact. 
Here  was  a 
Poula  woman, 
wearing,  Chinese 
fashion,  a  mantle 
with  green  and 
red  trimming ; 
upon  her  fore- 
head was  bound  a 
kerchief  studded 


Young  Hou-Ni  Woman. 


with  little  silver  knobs,  and  adorned  on  either  side  with  cowries  and 
red  worsted  tassels,  behind  which  fell  two  lappets,  embroidered 
horizontally  with  green  and  red.  The  same  colours  and  dress 
are  to  be  found  among  the  nomads  of  Thibet.  The  Poula  lady 
had  a  bronzed  oval  face,  and  small  features,  except  the  lower  lip 

15 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


and  the  chin.  A  more  original  head-dress  was  one  which  we 
saw  among  the  Lintindjou  women.  On  a  Httle  knot  of  hair  was 
perched  a  plaited  straw  circlet,  like  those  worn  by  the  Annamite 
sharpshooters,  from  which  hung  a  fringe  with  white  tassels.     The 

costume  was 
composed  of  a 
jacket,  fastened 
with  two  silver 
clasps,  black 
trousers,  and 
linen  bands  tied 
round  the  ankles. 
These  natives 
seemed  very  shy. 
One  woman,  ol 
whom  I  took  a 
snap  -  shot,  had 
a  vivacious 
little  face,  with 
strongly  protrud- 
ing  forehead, 
and  eyes  that 
7  ('A  were  scarcely  at 

all  oblique.  She 
was  clearly  dis- 
tinguishable from  both  Chinese  and  Annamite.  Some  Hou-Ni 
women  were  also  pointed  out  to  us,  clothed  in  tunics  which 
descended  to  the  knee,  and  wearing  on  their  breasts  a  round 
silver  plate,   with  designs  of  crabs  and  scorpions. 

This  first  glimpse  of  the  native  population  only  increased  our 

i6 


/.  'J-"     ^ 


Lolo  Woman  at  Monglse. 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

desire  to  see  more  of  them,  by  taking  a  different  route  to 
Ssumao  on  the  ri^ht  bank  of  the  Red  River.  To  the  questions 
we  put  at  Manhao,  the  reply  was  that  there  was  no  road  but 
that  followed  by  the  caravans  through  Mongtse  and  Yuen-chiang. 
The  telegraph  clerk,  however,  mentioned  to  me  that  he  had 
heard  of  a  path  on  the  right  bank,  though  a  very  bad  one. 
Here,  at  any  rate,  was  a  clue.  Roux  and  I  discovered  this  path 
on  foot,  saw  that  it  continued  in  the  distance,  and  was  fit  for 
mules.  While  reconnoitring,  we  passed  through  the  pretty  little 
village  of  Lao-Manhao,  opposite  which  was  a  wood  of  mimosa, 
tamarisk,  and  other  trees,  covering  the  base  of  the  hill.  I  have 
rarely  found  a  spot  of  equal  fragrance,  and  interest  for  the 
ornithologist ;  small  birds  in  great  variety  fluttered  in  it,  and  I 
secured  some  good  specimens. 

The  mode  of  employing  our  time  in  Manhao  was  pleasant 
enough,  but  it  was  not  getting  on  at  all.  So  that  it  was  with 
pleasure  that  we  saw  one  part  of  our  effects  start  under  the  care 
of  M.  Dupont's  factor,  who  was  to  convoy  them  as  far  as 
Mongtse.  We  made  a  bargain  for  some  mules,  at  the  rate  of 
nine  "tens"  apiece  to  Mongtse,  which  was  one  "ten"  more  than 
the  ordinary  tariff.      They  carried  thirty-eight  of  our  packages. 

On  the   14th  (February)  eighteen  pack  animals,  sent  to  us  from 

Mongtse,  came  in.      We  were    now   able  to  depart.      At  the  last 

moment   another   delay   arose    in   the  disposal  of  the   loads,   which 

were    too    heavy.       The    Yiinnan   method    of  loading  the  animals 

was  to  place  a  pad   upon  a  wooden   saddle,   with  two  side  pieces 

fitting   close    to    the    shoulder.      There   was  no  girth ;    the'  saddle 

was  simply  kept  in  position  by  breast  and  crupper  straps.      Either 

flap    had    on    the    outer    side    a    small    wooden    peg,  sole  support 

of  a  light  and  capacious  frame,  to  which  the  baggage  was   secured 
B  17 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

by  leather  thongs.  The  advantage  of  the  system  is  that  the 
harness  is  independent  of  the  pack,  and  one  can  off-saddle  for 
the  night  without  disturbing  anything.  The  ease  with  which  one 
can  disencumber  the  mule  facilitates  his  passage  in  dangerous 
spots.  Indeed,  being  thus  able  to  rid  himself  of  his  burden,  he 
often  availed  himself  of  this  avoidance  of  accident  on  his  own 
account.  When  the  weights  are  even,  as  may  easily  be  managed 
with  tea  or  cotton  for  cargo,  the  mule  can  carry  much  without 
suffering.  But  with  mixed  lots,  such  as  ours,  the  system  of 
loading  caused  sores.  The  treatment  of  the  mules  consequently 
called  for  great  care.  The  averaore  load  was  from  120  lbs.  to 
140  lbs.,  half  on  either  side.  Those  that  gave  most  trouble  were 
the  chests  containing  money.  Each  one  in  itself  was  1 20  lbs. 
They  had  therefore  to  be  distributed.  We  were  carrying  to 
Mongtse  piastres  to  exchange  there  against  Chinese  ingots,  and, 
as  robbers  were  numerous,   they  required  watching. 

In  the  afternoon  we  were  at  last  ready,  and  the  real  journey 
commenced.  Being  in  high  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  active 
employment,  everything  seemed  interesting  and  picturesque. 
Things  struck  us  which  soon  we  should  not  heed  :  the  boys  upon 
their  ponies,  odd -looking  figures  in  their  half- European  half- 
Annamite  get-up ;  the  interpreter,  perched  high  on  a  heap  of 
rugs,  with  a  dirty  squash  hat  on  his  head,  and  his  toes  thrust 
into  loops  of  straw  for  stirrups.  Each  of  us  was  no  doubt  a 
caricature  to  his  neighbour. 

The  first  part  of  our  route  was  a  steady  ascent,  from  510  feet 

to   6,150  feet.       The    mules    climbed  sturdily  in   single  file,  urged 

by  the  shouts  and  imprecations  of  the  drivers.       You  can't  travel 

in  Yunnan  without  constant  "  ma/c'piozis."      The    leader  bore    our 

red  flag,  with  my  name  on  it  in  Chinese  characters.       It  was  the 

18 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

same  which  had  already  seen  service  with  me  from  Koulja  to 
Tonkin,  five  years  before.  Who  knew  what  countries  it  was  to 
behold  this  time ! 

It  took  us  two  days  and  a  half  to  reach  Mongtse,  sleeping 
each  night  in  the  corners  of  the  inn  stables.  On  the  way  we 
passed  a  strange  series  of  isolated  hills,  like  detached  sugar- 
loaves,  and  christened  them  the  Cone  Chain.  "  At  their  base  we 
came  across  many  funnel-shaped  depressions,  which  in  semblance 
might  have  been  the  moulds  in  which  the  cones  had  been  cast. 
The  only  vegetation  was  scanty  grass  but  ill  covering  the  grey 
stones.  Although  only  at  an  altitude  of  6,175  feet,  we  received 
the  impression  of  high  summits.  A  closer  view  revealed  that 
these  mountains  could  not  be  attributable  to  volcanic  formation, 
as  one  had  first  been  inclined  to  believe.  They  were  of  grey 
limestone,  like  those  of  the  bay  of  Along.  Traces  of  coal  in  the 
neighbourhood  tended  to  confirm  the  idea  that  the  same  geological 
forces  that  in  Tonkin  appear  as  cliffs  here  showed  themselves  in 
cones. 

After  descending  from  the  Cone  Chain,  a  march  of  varied 
elevation  brought  us  to  a  rocky  gap  surmounted  by  a  little 
pagoda.  Before  us  lay  the  great  plain  of  Mongtse.  For  two 
hours  we  continued  at  a  round  pace  through  cultivated  fields, 
and  past  the  small  town  of  Si-ngan-tso,  until  we  checked  our 
beasts  beneath  the  walls  of  Mongtse,  in  front  of  a  spacious  white 
building  used  as  the  French  Consulate,  and  were  received  by 
MM.   Guerin  and  Mark. 

This  last-named  grentleman  bore  on  his  hand  the  trace  of  a  recent 
wound.  Some  time  before,  he  had  been  attacked  in  his  house 
by  six  men  armed  with  spears.  He  defended  the  door  of  his  room 
behind  a  barrier  of  chairs,  but  received  a  blow  from  a  pike  through 

19 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  panel.     On  the  alarm  being  given  his  assailants  fled,  and,  it  is 
needless  to  add,  were  still  at  large. 

Having  bestowed  our  belongings  in  the  consulate,  we  prepared 
to  remain  there  a  few  days.  Mongtse  was  the  last  town  of  relative 
civilisation  which  we  were  likely  to  see  for  a  long  time,  and  we 
had  to  make  final  arrangements  for  both  our  own  caravan  and  for 
the  forwarding  of  our  reserve.  Here  I  met  an  old  acquaintance,  a 
missionary,  known  before  in  1890  at  Yiinnan-Sen,  and  his  experience 
and  advice  were  of  great  value  in  our  equipment.  The  Father  at 
this  period  was  at  loggerheads  with  the  Chinese  Government. 
Having  been  charged  by  Monseigneur  Fenouil  to  establish  a  mission 
station  at  Mongtse,  he  had  bought  a  house  and  signed  the  agree- 
ment with  the  owner.  This  done,  he  sent  the  title-deeds  to  the 
Taotai  for  registration.  But  the  latter,  instead  of  returning  them, 
passed  them  on  to  some  notables,  to  whom  the  property  was  thus 
made  over.  Our  consul  vainly  demanded  restitution.  As  for  the 
missionary,  he  adopted  the  only  mode  of  retort  to  the  knavery  of 
the  Government,  by  refusing  to  budge  from  the  house  when  once  in 
it,  unless  another,  on  which  he  had  his  eye,  were  offered  in  its  place. 
These  tricks  of  the  Chinese  in  the  case  of  the  missionaries  did  not 
astonish  me  :  I  knew  them  of  old.  Our  countrymen  may  deem 
themselves  fortunate  when  the  vexation  is  confined  to  petty  annoy- 
ances. On  the  voyage  from  Aden  to  Indo-China  we  had  on  board 
a  missionary  of  Yunnan,  who  was  again  bound  thither  after  a  visit 
to  Paris  to  be  healed.  This  Father  Vial  had  received  fourteen 
knife  stabs,  several  of  his  ribs  had  been  broken,  and  he  showed  me 
the  scars  of  the  wounds.  I  should  have  liked  some  sceptic  Thomas 
to  have  had  the  same  privilege.  When  attacked  by  the  myrmidons 
of  the  mandarin.  Father  Vial  owed  his  life  to  his  single  strength  of 

will  alone.      He  was  returning  bravely  to  his  post,  as  if  nothing  had 

20 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

happened  ;  and  certainly  the  satisfaction  extracted  from  the  Chinese 
Government  by  the  representations  of  our  consul  had  not  been 
granted  out  of  any  goodwill  to  the  Father.  Most  of  the  braves 
were  banished  to  another  province — a  trivial  punishment  for  men 
who  had  no  ties.  They  did  indeed  select  for  condemnation  one 
man — he  was  already  dead  from  natural  causes  in  prison.  As  for 
the  instigator  of  the  outrage,  he  was  of  course  undisturbed.  It  was 
declared  at  Pekin  that  the  affair  had  been  exaggerated,  and  that  the 
reparation  was  ample.  One  cannot  help  thinking  what  idea  of  our 
power  the  Chinese  are  likely  to  derive  from  our  acquiescence  in 
such  procedure.  After  this  there  is  small  room  for  surprise  at  their 
attitude  towards  our  Frontier  Delimitation  Commission.  Already  it 
had  been  attacked  in  the  basin  of  the  Black  River,  and  was  reported 
to  be  followed  by  three  hundred  pirates  ostensibly  in  "  the  service  " 
of  the  mandarin  of  Yunnan.  Whether  or  no,  it  is  certain  that  the 
Imperial  commissioner  betook  himself  to  Mongtse,  under  pretext  of 
resting  from  his  labours.  For  ourselves,  as  travellers,  by  making 
the  best  of  things  we  might  hope  to  pass  through  without  active 
molestation. 

First  of  all  we  had  mules  to  buy.  It  was  difficult  to  procure  any 
at  Mongtse,  for  the  Pavie  Mission  had  taken  a  good  many,  and  the 
mandarin  himself  had  just  purchased  twenty  beauties  for  twelve 
taels  apiece — fixing  his  own  price.  M.  Gdrard,  a  P'renchman  in 
the  Customs,  kindly  offered  to  help  us,  and  spent  three  days  in  the 
mountains  among  the  dirty  Miaotses,  bringing  back  fifteen  mules 
and  a  promise  of  seven  more  in  a  few  days.  We  paid  on  an  averao-e 
thirty  taels  for  each  animal.  Then  there  were  pack-saddles  to  get, 
straps,  and  blankets  to  cover  the  chattels  from  rain  and  the  men  at 
night.  The  beasts  were  next  roughed,  and  branded  on  the  shoulder 
with  an   O.       Finally  came  the  question   of  the   hire  of  followers. 

21 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


We  took  seven  to  begin  with.  One  of  them,  Li,  small,  youthful, 
and  marked  with  smallpox,  looked  more  of  a  hillman  than  Chinese, 
though  he  hailed  from  the  Yangtse.  To  him  was  given  the  command 
of  the  others,  with  the  title  of  makotou,  or  leader  of  the  caravan. 

His  subordinates 
were  simple  mu- 
leteers, luafous, 
paid  at  the  rate 
of  seven  taels  a 
month  through 
him.  He  re- 
ceived more, 
would  cater  for 
the  men,  do  the 
same  work  as 
they,  and  act  as 
farrier  and  vet. 
to  the  expedi- 
tion. In  his 
latter  capacity 
he  did  not  omit 
to  ask  for  an 
advance  to  pur- 
chase drugs. 
Some     of    these 


Chinese  working  riuie  Crane. 


arrangements  had  afterwards  to  be  modified,  but  for  the  present 
our  mafous  were  all  smiles  and  sweetness ;  the  day  after  their 
engagement  they  brought  us  bouquets  of  jasmine.  Loads  were 
apportioned,  saddles  adjusted,  supplies  laid  in,  and  all  with  the 
greatest  cheerfulness.     The  makotou  was  quick,  and  did  most  of 

22 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

the  duties.  "If  in  three  days  my  men  don't  learn  how  to  work," 
said  he,  with  a  significant  gesture,  "  I  take  a  board  and  touch  them 
up  behind."  The  Chinese  do  not  look  far  ahead;  the  present  is 
enough  for  them  as  long  as  they  are  well  off.  An  incident  occurred 
here  which  was  characteristic.  Sao  and  a  Cantonnese  lad, 
Francois'  personal  attendant,  quarrelled,  and  the  i\nnamite  struck 
the  Chinese  with  a  hatchet.  I  do  not  know  which  was  in  fault ; 
but  the  interpreter,  naturally  taking  the  part  of  his  compatriot, 
without  referring  to  us,  straightway  lodged  a  formal  complaint. 
The  matter  might  have  become  complicated ;  so  we  interposed, 
and,  putting  Sao  under  temporary  arrest,  deposited  a  sum  of 
money  with  M.  Guerin — one  part  for  the  care  of  the  Chinese,  and 
the  other  as  an  indemnity.  I  may  add  that  the  servant,  a  true 
Celestial,  preferred  the  gain  to  the  grievance. 

One  of  the  chief  difficulties  of  the  traveller  in  China  is  that  of 
money.  The  coin  must  be  carried  in  bulk.  W'e  intrusted  our  stock 
of  piastres  to  three  jewellers,  who  melted  them  down  at  the  rate  of 
a  thousand  a  day.  A  powder  thrown  into  the  fused  mass  caused 
the  copper  to  separate,  the  silver  was  run  into  moulds,  and  we 
received  it  in  dainty  ingots,  pitted  with  small  holes  like  a  sponge, 
and  inscribed  with  Chinese  characters.  We  sent  a  portion  of  our 
meltings  on  to  the  care  of  the  missionary  at  Tall-Fou.  There  is  a 
company  formed  for  the  transmission  of  money  by  post  in  the 
provinces,  with  insurance  against  loss  by  robbery  ;  but  unhappily 
this  was  not  in  operation  between  Mongtse  and  Tali.  We  were 
obliged  to  take  a  draft  on  Yiinnan-Sen,  whence  the  mission  would 
forward  to  us.  The  first  banker  applied  to  refused  the  accommoda- 
tion when  he  knew  what  was  required.  An  order  had  been  issued 
by  the  Taotai  against  any  aid  to  Europeans.  I  recognised  once 
more  the  habitual  grace  of  the  Chinese  authorities.     Luckily,  another 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

was  found  whose  official  fears  were  not  proof  against  his  money 
greed,  and  our  remaining  specie  was  transformed  into  two  cheques 
of  4,000  and  2,000  taels.  We  gained  by  the  exchange,  as  our  silver 
received  a  value  of  20  per  cent,  over  the  capital. 

It  may  be  imagined  that  all  these  dispositions  were  not  com- 
pleted in  a  day.  Before  arriving  at  any  result  much  time  was 
consumed  in  arguing,  bargaining,  and  making  chang-liang  in 
Chinese  parlance.  We  turned  the  intervals  to  advantage  by 
examining  the  town  and  its  environs,  and  in  conversation  with 
the  few  European  residents. 

Mongtse  contains  about  11,000  inhabitants.  The  place  offers 
but  little  of  interest,  and  is  quiet.  The  people,  accustomed  to 
the  going  and  coming  of  whites,  appeared  indifferent  to  our 
proceedings,  although  the  most  extravagant  reports  had  been 
spread  about  our  arrival.  It  was  said  that  a  king's  son  (Chinese, 
" ichingotian"  prince)  was  coming  up  to  Mongtse  with  a  thousand 
armed  men.  I  was  used  to  these  legends.  Every  week  on  market 
day  the  streets  presented  an  interesting  spectacle.  At  the  entrance, 
outside  the  rampart,  long  strings  of  carrier  oxen  stood  waiting 
behind  the  straw-wrapped  bales  of  yarn  or  sheets  of  tin  for  the 
custom-house  examination.  Crowds  of  country  folk  thronged  the 
gate,  the  Poula  element  predominating.  The  women  of  this 
race,  with  round  faces  sheltered  under  linen  bonnets  somewhat 
resembling  those  of  the  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,  crouched  beside 
baskets  of  vegetables.  The  men  wore  small  open  vests  and  a 
blue  turban,  round  which  they  twisted  their  pigtails.  Here  an 
old  beggar  woman  chanted  her  nasal  plaint  to  the  accompaniment 
of  oblong  castanets.  She  was  not  bewitching, — we  were  far  from 
an  Esmeralda, — but  we  threw  her  a  few  sapecks.  There  went  by 
the  tinker,  with  his  professional  cry  of  "  Pouko  !    Pouko!"      At  a 

24 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

little  distance  squatted  some  men  round  a  mat,  silent  for  the  most 
part,  but  each  attentive  to  what  was  going  on  round  him,  as 
shown  by  the  small  and  glittering  eye.       Some    rustics   who  had 


Poula  Women,   Mongtse. 


made  good  bargains  stopped  to  gamble  away  most  of  their  gains 
to  the  Chinese.  An  umbrella  with  pink  silk  fringe  came  in  view, 
and  at  sight  of  us  was  hastily  and  jealously  lowered  by  the 
modest   charmer.       Mongtse  and    Lingau-Fou    are  said   to   be   the 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

only  two  Chinese  towns  where  ladies  of  rank  come  out  on  foot 
in  this  guise.  I  paused  at  the  stall  of  a  silversmith,  and  watched 
him  at  work  as  among  the  Laos  States,  his  silver  plate  resting 
upon  a  wax  mould  fixed  to  a  block,  while  with  mallet  and  chisel 
he  shaped  his  trinkets.  A  murmur  behind  us  apprised  us  of  the 
approach  of  some  notable,  and  we  drew  ourselves  up  to  let  the 
procession  pass.  First  advanced  matchlock  men,  fairly  well  set 
up,  with  flags  and  a  gong  beater  at  their  head.  In  rear  of  them 
were  borne  wooden  placards,  banners  representing  the  Imperial 
dragon,  and  a  huge  screen  in  shape  like  a  leaf  Then  followed 
six  boys  in  long  red  and  green  skirts,  with  caps  of  the  same 
colours,  and  a  big  gold  sword  at  the  shoulder.  Next  came  men 
armed  with  tridents,  and  two  others  blowing  trumpets — the  long 
copper  trumpet  well  known  amongst  the  pirates  of  Tonkin  for  its 
rallying  note.  More  long-robed  children,  extinguished  under 
pointed  astrologers'  hats,  and  shouting  for  all  they  were  worth. 
Then  civil  dignitaries  ;  men  of  letters  with  crystal  buttons ; 
mounted  mandarins  in  silk  robes  brocaded  with  oold,  and  horse- 
tails  waving  from  their  hats.  And  last  of  all,  the  main  figure, 
lolling  in  his  heavy  green  litter,  was  borne  the  tchenta)\  or  military 
chief 

This  General  Ma  was  a  good  friend  to  us.  In  appearance  he 
was  big  and  corpulent,  with  an  aquiline  nose.  In  faith  a  Mussul- 
man, and  well  disposed  to  the  French  ;  in  all  difficulties  between 
the  missionaries  and  the  authorities  he  tried  to  make  things 
smooth.  Following  a  visit  which  we  paid  him,  came  an  invita- 
tion to  a  great  feast  which  lasted  fully  two  hours  and  a  half  The 
Mussulman  cuisine  was  excellent,  and  consisted  of  plates  of  rice, 
potatoes,  mutton  killed  according  to  the  rites  and  prepared  strictly 

without  pig's  fat.      For  drink  we   had   champagne  alternating  with 

28 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

"  tchaotiou  "  (Chinese  o.d.v.).  We  were  offered  a  vintage  dating 
from  1S70,  and  brought  from  the  capital.  The  general  insisted 
on  drinking  healths  with  each  of  us  in  turn,  without  heel-taps. 
His  children — a  large-eyed  little  girl  of  an  Indian  type  of  face, 
and  a  boy  with  a  fine  fur-embroidered  cap — came  in  to  see  us, 
and  made  the  round  of  the  table,  bowing-  before  each  guest.  Our 
host  appeared  very  fond  of  them,  which  is  common  enough  in 
China ;  but  he  had  an  exceptionally  frank  manner  towards 
foreigners — a  disposition  I  have  remarked  among  Chinese  Mussul- 
mans very  different  from  that  of  their  Buddhist  fellow-countrymen. 
The  missionaries  rarely  have  to  complain  of  persecution  at  the 
hands  of  the  Houi-houi  or  the  Houe-dzeu,  as  the  disciples  of 
Mahomet  are  called  in  China.  So  far  from  attacking  the  Christians, 
they  sometimes  even  support  them  ;  but  they  never  become  con- 
verts. "You  have  a  God,"  they  say  to  our  priests;  "so  have  we: 
we  both  have  a  book  ;  let  us  be  friends." 

The  general  did  not  speak  to  us  on  religion.  He  came  to 
see  us  at  the  consulate  on  foot  with  a  small  retinue,  which  for  a 
mandarin  showed  a  very  unusual  freedom  from  formality.  He 
was  interested  in  our  firearms,  and  inquired  their  cost  ;  and 
hearing  us  express  some  wish,  sent  us  milk  and  native  cigars  as 
a  present.  I  think  if  I  had  never  had  to  do  with  any  Chinese 
but  Ma  I  should  have  formed  a  different  opinion  of  his  com- 
patriots. 

Besides  the  consular  and  missionary  staff,  we  found  very 
agreeable  society  at  the  custom-house.  The  superintendent  was 
an  American,  Mr.  Carl,  a  connection  of  Sir  Robert  Hart,  and 
well  qualified  to  give  me  interesting  commercial  statistics.  The 
greater  part  of  the  merchandise  is  of  English  origin,  and 
comes   from    Canton    by    Pese.       The    trade    returns    give    a    total 


FROM  TONKIN   TO  INDIA 

of  2,185,200  taels,  in  which  Tonkin  unfortunately  is  only  repre- 
sented by  313,983  taels.  The  slowness  in  the  development  of 
our  commerce  with  China  is  to  be  attributed  to  three  chief 
causes : — 

(i)  Our  houses  do  not  study  the  taste  or  pocket  of  the  natives. 

(2)  Freight  on  the  Red  River  is  too  high.  For  instance, 
wicker  chairs  at  fifty  piastres  have  to  pay  thirty  piastres  from 
HonCT-Kongr  to  Manhao. 

(3)  Salt,  which  formerly  served  as  a  medium  of  exchange 
between  Tonkin  and  Yunnan,  can  no  longer,  thanks  to  a  clause 
in  the  Treaty  of  1885,   be  introduced  into  that  province. 

We  know  our  errors  ;  it  is  for  us  to  remedy  them,  if  we 
would  profit  by  the  privileged  commercial  position  which  Tonkin 
gives  us  on  the  flank  of  China.  I  cannot  too  strongly  insist 
on  the  danger  there  is  of  our  playing  the  role  of  the  hare  to  the 
English  tortoise.  Whilst  writing  these  lines  I  have  before  me 
the  last  Report  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  in  which  is 
marked  by  a  dotted  line  the  railway  in  course  of  construction 
from  Mandalay  to  the  frontier  of  China.  The  English  have  275 
miles  in  a  straight  line  to  traverse.  We,  who  from  Hanoi  to 
Laokay  have  only  135  miles,  or  htilf  as  far, — what  are  we 
doing  ? 

The  reader  will  pardon  this  digression,  and  impute  it  solely 
to  my  desire  to  attract  attention,  whenever  I  have  the  occasion, 
to  questions  often  neglected,  and  moreover  of  exceptional  gravity 
for  the  future  expansion  of  our  trade. 

The  grounds  of  the  custom-house  adjoined  those  of  the 
consulate.  A  house  is  valued  here  at  from  2,000  to  3,000  taels, 
the  expense  being  largely  enhanced  from  the  distance  which 
wood    for   building    has    to   be   brought.     Although  verandahs  are 


HANOI  TO  MONGTSE 

common,  one  need  scarcely  seek  shelter  from  the  sun  ;  the 
climate  of  Mongtse  is  splendid  ;  except  in  the  two  rainy  months 
(June-July,  or  July-August),  it  is  almost  always  fine.  The  plain 
is  healthy  for  Europeans.     The  natives  have  to    fear    the  plague, 


A  Street  in  Mongtse. 


which  is  endemic,  and  seems  to  haunt  certain  localities  of  Yunnan 
without  any  cause.  The  sickness  generally  comes  in  the  summer, 
and  sometimes  claims  four  thousand  or  five  thousand  victims. 
First    to    be    attacked    are    the    rats,    which    may     then     be     seen 

^  JO 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

scampering  in  the  streets,  jumping  and  writhing  as  if  mad.  Then 
comes  the  turn  of  the  cats.  It  is  as  if  the  poison  rose  from  the 
ground,  and,  mounting,  infected  in  succession  all  it  met.  In  the 
case  of  human  beings  the  malady  shows  itself  by  a  swelling  of 
the  glands.  The  missionaries  have  successfully  employed  as  a 
remedy  a  strong  emetic.  Europeans  are  seldom  included  in  its 
ravages. 

The  food  resources  are  plentiful  ;  mutton  and  beef  one  owes 
to  the  Mussulmans  ;  and  fruit  and  vegetables,  European  as  well 
as  native,  abound ;  strawberries,  peaches,  apricots,  and  nuts  being 
good.  There  are  many  pretty  walks  in  the  neighbourhood ;  in 
the  mountains  you  may  find  silver  pheasants  and  hares,  while 
the  rice  -  fields  of  the  plain  teem  with  water-fowl  and  white 
herons.  The  Chinese  protect  the  latter  birds ;  they  say  they 
carry  the  souls  of  the  dead  to  heaven  ;  and  upon  their  tombs  in 
their  religious  designs  they  give  a  symbolical  significance  to  the 
heron  analogous  to  that  which  we  crive  to  the  dove.  There  is 
something  similar  among  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

Europeans  receive  two  posts  a  week — one  through  the  custom- 
house, the  other  through  the  consulate;  they  come  in  five  days 
overland  from   Laokay  via  Sinchai. 


CHAPTER    II 

FROM    MONGTSE   TO    SSUMAO 

Departure  from  Mongtse — Descent  to  Manhao — Cross  the  Red  River — Mafou  Fears — 
Exploration — On  the  Right  Bank  ;  Ascent — Difficulties  with  our  Men — The  Hou- 
Nis — At  Fong-chen-lin — Hospitality  of  a  Chinese  Mandarin — Hydraulic  Pestles — 
The  Liutindjous — Hou-Nis  again — By  the  River  Side — District  of  the  Pais — First 
Appearance  of  Lolos — New  Natives  of  the  Miaotse  Tribe — A  Few  Words  on  the 
Natives  of  Yiinnan — Pretty  Country  by  the  River — Isa  ;  Particulars  of — Hou-Ni 
Adventure — Souto  ;  Discovery  of  Lolo  MSS. — Fresh  Facts  about  the  Hou-Nis  and 
the  Pais — At  Lou-tchou  ;  Lodge  with  a  Lolo  Chief;  Information  concerning  the 
Lolos — Our  Followers — Frangois — The  Urchin — Victims  of  a  Theft — Our  Prisoners 
— Death  of  my  Horse — Difficult  Passage  of  the  La-niou-ho — Renewed  Trouble 
with  the  Mafous — More  Natives,  the  Hatous — Passage  of  the  Black  River — Fire  ! — 
Muong-le — Halt  at  Muong-le  ;  Tidings  of  M.  Pavie — The  Market ;  Trade  Statistics 
— Scene  among  the  Mafous — On  the  Road  again  ;  a  Hailstorm,  and  its  Effects — 
Worship  of  the  Wood  Deity — In  the  Basin  of  the  Mekong — Forest  Bivouac — 500th 
Kilometre — Chantzeu  and  his  Steed — Pretty  Scenery — Arrival  at  Ssumao. 

We  quitted  Mongtse  finally  on  the  27th  February.  What  we 
did  not  take  with  us  we  left  in  the  care  of  the  consul,  to  be 
despatched  by  caravan  to  Yunnan-Sen  and  Tali.  By  the  same 
route  we  were  to  receive  a  chest  of  a  thousand  rupees  and  some 
photograph  plates  which  had  not  yet  reached   Mongtse. 

Our  start  was  the  sio^nal  for  the  letting  off  of  crackers  and 
muskets.  All  this  uproar,  which  is  a  conventional  attention  in 
China  on  the  arrival  or  departure  of  travellers,  was  not  at  all  to 
the  taste  of  our  horses,  and  caused  them  to  be  restive.  In  a 
couple  of  months  you  might  have  fired  a  field-piece  without 
making  the  same  worn-out  beasts  twitch  an  ear 

35 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

The  usual  road  to  Ssumao  and  the  West  was  by  way  of 
Yuenkiang  and  Ta-lan ;  so,  when  we  turned  our  faces  again 
towards  Manhao,  Francois  officiously  was  for  setting  us  right. 
But  we  purposely  adopted  this  slightly  longer  route,  which,  though 
known,  is  not  marked  on  the  maps.  As  we  retraversed  the  plain, 
strewn  with  iron-ore,  we  saw  tlocks  of  grey  cranes  with  black 
heads,  looking  in  the  distance  like  peasants  at  work.  With  the 
approach  to  the  mountains  the  flora  changed ;  I  found  gna- 
phalium,  asters,  pretty  pink  primroses,  and  by  the  side  of  these 
plants  of  high  altitudes  some  small  crimson  azaleas  such  as  are 
met  with  on  the  banks  of  the  Black  River.  The  weather,  which 
had  promised  well,  suddenly  changed,  and  we  were  caught  in 
a  storm  of  hail.  At  once  the  songs  ceased ;  silently  we  plodded 
in  Indian  file,  the  horses  slipping  and  falling  continually.  It  was 
the  beginning  of  our  troubles.  I  dropped  behind,  and  lost  the 
way.  Rou.x  came  back  and  sought  me  in  the  dark ;  we  could 
not  see  where  to  place  our  feet,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  and 
many  tumbles  that  we  at  length  gained  our  camp.  Rarely  had 
a  cup  of  tea  seemed  so  refreshing. 

The  ne.xt  day  we  were  back  again  among  the  quaint  Cone 
Hills.  Not  far  from  here  I  noticed  in  a  field  a  bier  covered  with 
hay  and  surrounded  with  thorn  branches ;  the  dead  body  awaited 
transport  over  the  mountain  for  burial  in  consecrated  ground. 
We  shared  our  sleeping  quarters  that  night  with  a  caravan  of  tin. 
At  all  the  inns  they  feed  the  animals  on  chopped  straw,  so  that 
the  sound  of  the  cutter  was  going  pretty  nearly  all  night.  As 
the  stage  had  been  a  short  one,  we  had  tasted  the  charm  of 
arriving  early,  and  it  was  pleasant  at  sundown  to  get  into  the 
open  country  far  from  the  din  of  the  caravan  and  the  chatter  of 
the  Chinese.      I    seated    myself  on  a  mound  above  the  path,   and 

36 


4 

V 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

watched  a  group  of  Poula  women  laden  with  wood,  the  weight 
of  which  was  sustained  by  a  linen  band  across  the  forehead.  On 
catching  sight  of  me  they  hesitated  whether  to  advance,  but  at 
last  plucked  up  heart  to  pass  in  a  body. 

On  the  I  St  March,  in  the  morning,  we  re-entered  Manhao,  after 
a  few  ordinary  experiences  by  the  way.     We  met  two  men  carrjing 


ii,r^-t- 


On  the  Red  River. 


a  corpse  by  head  and  heels,  slung  to  a  bough,  on  which  a  sacrificial 
cock  was  fastened.  The  cortege,  preceded  by  a  man  gently 
tapping  a  small  gong,  disappeared  up  a  narrow  defile,  and  we  heard 
the  receding  sob  of  the  gong  long  after  it  was  lost  to  view. 
Unbelievers  these  Chinese  may  be,  but  they  will  traverse  mountains 
for  the  sake  of  burvinsj  their  dead  in  hallowed  ground.  At  another 
place  we  encountered  a  minor  chief  with  the  usual  accompaniment 

39 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of  red   flags,    scarlet  robes,   blue   trousers,   and  yellow    straw  hats, 

contributing    with    the    bright    sunshine    in   an    arid    country    to    a 

dazzling  and  picturesque  effect.     At    Manhao  we  only  stopped  for 

breakfast,  deeming  it  more  prudent  not  to  halt  our  followers  long  in 

a  town,  as  we  were  about  to  attempt  the  route  on  the  right  bank 

of  the  Soncr-Coi,  of  which   Roux   and    I   had   found   the  beoinninsf. 

To  cross  the  river  we  had  to  put  the  saddles  and  loads  on  small 

rafts,     and    then    tried    to    pass    the    animals    over    by    swimming. 

These,   however,  did  not  see  it   in   the  same  light,  despite  shouts, 

and    blows,   and    volleys  of   stones   from    the   urchins  in   the  crowd 

which   had  come    out  to    see    us.      After    prolonged    struggles    and 

breaks  away,  swearing  man  triumphed  over  stubborn  brute,  and  by 

dint  of  lifting  the  intractable  ones  a  hoof  at  a  time  on  to  the  raft 

we  all  got  over.     The  makotou  proved  himself  resourceful ;  but  as 

for  Francois,  he  contented   himself  with  playing  the  part  of  the  fly 

on    the    coach-wheel,  and    stood   by    the   brink    dangling    his  day's 

food — three   fishes  on   a  string — and  offering  useless  advice.      Our 

mafous    expressed    great    surprise    when    we    announced    that    we 

should  camp  farther  on.      They  did  not  know  the  way, — there  were 

no  inns.      "  What  were  the  tents  for,   if  not  to  sleep  in  the  open  ?  " 

said  we.      "How  were  the  beasts  to   be  fed?" — "Carry  grain  for 

them,  and  three  days'  supplies  for  yourselves."     Franqois  then  struck 

in  :  There  were  pirates  on  the  right  bank,  and  they  had  long  guns. 

— "  So  much  the  better  ;  we  shall  be  able  to  photograph  them." 

It  was  clear  that  our  people  had  not   reckoned  on  this  style  of 

travel,   and  counted  on  following  main  roads    and   always  sleeping 

within  four  walls  ;  the  Annamites,   on  the  other  hand,   followed  us 

in  silence.      The  delay  at  the  ferry  made  it  impossible  to  go  far  that 

night,  so  we  camped  on  a  sandbank  by  the  river,  and  experienced 

the  real  joy  of  being  independent  in  the  middle  of  our  own  troop. 

40 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

From  here  the  true  work  of  exploration  might  be  said  to  begin. 
Before  us  lay  the  unknown.  Perhaps  illusion  sometimes  colours 
our  impressions.  Well,  illusion  let  it  be  !  I  believe  in  dreams,  and 
pity  those  whose  sterile  minds  no  impulse  ever  stirs. 

Amongst  the  latter  might  be  classed  our  mafous  ;  they  were  no 
dreamers.  Yet,  was  it  imagination  that  led  them  to  take  two 
shining  sparks  in  the  thicket  behind  us  for  living  panther's  eyes? 
We  had  to  fire  our  guns  to  reassure  them.  These  fellows  began  to 
see  that  our  journey  meant  business.  On  arrival  at  the  camping- 
ground  one  of  the  mules  was  missing,  having  been  allowed  to 
straggle  by  the  way.  What  was  worse,  it  was  one  that  carried 
specie.  After  two  hours'  search  it  was  led  in  ;  but  these  early 
troubles  disheartened  the  makotou,  who  sat  himself  down  and  wept, 
declaring  that  he  could  not  do  everything  by  himself  We  soothed 
him  with  commendation,  and  he  presently  forgot  his  woes  in  the 
consolation  of  his  opium  pipe. 

He  would  not  perhaps  have  slept  so  soundly  had  he  known  what 
awaited  us  on  the  next  day — one  of  the  hardest  for  man  and  beast 
in  the  whole  of  this  part  of  the  undertaking.  A  week  later  we 
could  not  have  performed  this  stage,  at  least  in  one  piece.  It  was 
uphill  all  the  way  and  fairly  good  going,  but  followed  the  crests 
without  deviation.  I  pitied  our  animals  :  the  horses  struggled 
gamely,  scrambling  up  the  steepest  bits,  and  every  now  and  then 
stopping  abruptly  to  regain  their  wind.  The  march  seemed 
unending  ;  no  sooner  had  we  topped  one  summit  than  another  rose 
before  us.  Once  the  track  led  us  through  a  wood,  where  we  saw 
some  natives  hunting  a  stag  with  boar-spears,  a  dog,  and  a  horn  like 
a  sea-conch.  I  marvelled  at  the  agility  with  which  they  sprang  over 
the  boulders.  In  the  afternoon  we  passed  from  the  valley  of  the 
Red    River  into   that  of  one  of  its  tributaries.     The  hillsides  here 

41 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

were  covered  for  two-thirds  of  their  height  with  rice-fields,  rising 
in  resfular  terraces,  over  which  water  trickled  in  a  series  of  cascades 
that  glittered  like  glass  in  the  sun.  The  stream  was  conducted  in 
canals,  whose  horizontal  lines  could  be  discerned  for  many  miles 
following  the  contour  of  the  hills.  This  method  of  irrigation  was 
quite  a  work  of  art,  all  the  embankments  being  thrown  up  by 
hand  and  stamped  hard  by  foot.  In  Madagascar  the  rice-fields 
occupy  only  the  hollows  ;  here  they  scaled  even  the  flanks  of  the 
hills,  and  I  could  not  but  refiect  on  the  capabilities  which  these 
peasants  might  develop  in  the  vast  tracts  of  fertile  land  unused  in 
our  colonies.  Here  and  there  were  sparse  patches  of  trees  or 
scrub,  with  groups  of  enormous  bamboos  and  a  profusion  of  varied 
ferns.  In  this  damp  climate  it  was  not  uncommon  to  start  in  the 
morning  in  thick  mist,  which  rendered  the  path  so  slippery  that  the 
horses  could  not  keep  their  footing  on  the  shining  rock  and  sodden 
grass  ;  and  falls  were  frequent.  The  mafous,  who  shiver  at 
50'  Fahr.,  grumbled  and  invented  fresh  pretexts  every  day  for 
shortening  the  stage.  It  was  now  the  3rd  of  March,  and  already  they 
talked  of  leaving  us.  The  interpreter,  of  whose  sullen  disposition 
we  had  also  had  evidence,  joined  them  and  announced  that  he 
would  go  no  farther  with  us.  His  conceit  was  unendurable,  and 
often  made  him  ridiculous.  One  day,  upon  Roux  making  some 
remark  on  the  route,  Francois  told  him  there  were  Chinese  maps. 

"Yes  ;  but  they  are  no  good,"  replied  my  companion. 

"You  French  say  that,  because  we  have  three  thousand  words, 
and  you  can't  understand  them,"  was  the  rejoinder. 

We  were  placed  in  a  somewhat  awkward  predicament  ;  for  we 
were  dependent  on  our  muleteers,  and  could  neither  here  nor  at 
Manhao  find  others  to  replace  them.  We  adopted  conciliatory 
measures,  and,  by  lightening  the  undoubtedly  severe  labour  of  the 

42 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

mafous  and  slightly  increasing  Francois'  pay,  tided  over  the 
difficulty.  The  treaty  of  peace  was  cemented  by  the  slaughter  of 
a  fat  pig,  and  we  were  "  Tajen  ho  !  "  ("  the  great  and  good  ")  once 
more. 

The  villages  where  we  usually  passed  the  nights  in  more  or 
less  discomfort  were  collections  of  thatched  huts  from  twenty  to 
sixty  in  number,  in  the  best  of  which  we  spread  our  rugs  on 
wooden  bedsteads,  and,  to  my  surprise,  were  not  devoured  by 
fleas.  Beyond  a  few  Chinese  traders  and  innkeepers,  the  popula- 
tion was  for  the  most  part  Poula  or  Hou-Xi.  The  approach  to 
a  Hou-Xi  village  was  generally  marked  by  posts  to  which  small 
bamboo  pegs  were  suspended, — in  one  c^ise  a  quartered  cock 
transfixed  by  an  arrow,  in  another  a  bow ;  all  of  which  were 
supposed  to  avert  evil  spirits.  The  Hou-Nis  of  this  district 
seemed  of  pure  breed  and  pronounced  type  ;  the  men  muscular 
and  dark,  with  straight  noses,  small  chins,  and  an  expression  of 
much  energy.  They  wore  a  loose  dark  blue  jacket  with  silver 
buttons,  and  nearly  all  had  on  the  left  arm  a  copper  bracelet  of 
Chinese  make.  Their  hair  was  plaited  in  a  tail,  and  often 
covered  by  a  horsehair  cap.  We  had  heard  good  reports  ot 
them  as  hardy  but  independent  mountaineers,  not  very  amenable 
to  Chinese  supremacy.  The  costume  of  the  women  was  a  black 
turban  with  folds  falling  behind  or  gathered  in  front  into  two 
horns,  with  a  band  across  the  forehead  adorned  with  silver  studs, 
sometimes  with  a  cross  in  the  centre,  while  others  bore  a  disc 
of  the  same  metal  on  the  breast.  A  few  had  an  over-garment 
with  two  lappets  a  la  Robespierre.  I  had  seen  Yao  women 
above  Laichau  similarly  dressed.  We  constantly  met  them  on 
the  road,  with  their  baskets  on  their  shoulders  fastened  to  a 
sort  of  yoke  on    the  neck   to  avoid   chafing,   and   a  forehead   strap 

43 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

to  take  the  weight.  Whenever  they  saw  us  they  turned  their 
hacks  and  plunged  into  the  thicket. 

At  a  distance  these  natives  in  their  monochrome  of  blue-black 
presented  a  sombre  appearance.  We  photographed  a  few  Hou- 
Nis  in  one  of  their  villages  at  Ba-kopo.  They  call  themselves 
"  Hou-Nia,  "  but  scarcely  sound  the  "a."    Their  women  are  valued 

at    from    sixteen 

to       thirty -six 

--    "  '^  '  ,^        — .<t^,  .— —  taels,     and     the 

^  ^  rich     have     two 

wives.  They 
inter  their  dead, 
and  mark  their 
mourning  bv  a 
strip  of  white 
linen  on  the 
head.  Their 
religion  is  the 
worship  of  an- 
cestors. They 
rent  the  ground 
for  tillage  from 
the     district     of 

Kai-hoa,  but  they  have  no  other  impost  than  this  land  tax.  The 
Government  gives  them  a  Chinese  chief,  who  resides  at  Koate  ; 
and  they  have  also  a  headman  of  their  own  of  less  importance,  to 
whom  they  give  the  title  "tien-ni."  Interrogated  as  to  manuscripts, 
they  replied  that  they  had  none  of  their  own  and  knew  no 
characters  but  Chinese.  They  had  a  musical  instrument,  a 
three-stringed  guitar,  from  which  they  get  a  very  soft  tone. 

44 


Chinese  (lirl   before  her  House. 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

On  the  4th  (March)  we  reached  Fong-chen-lin,  a  small  town, 
chiefly  Chinese,  perched  on  the  top  of  a  hill  in  the  midst  of 
fields  of  turnips,  cabbage,  and  opium  poppies.  On  our  arrival 
we  experienced  difficulty  in  finding  quarters.  No  one  would  take 
us  in.  The  makotou  and  Francois  were  wrangling  in  altercation, 
and  our  mules,  tied  to  each  other,  fell  to  indiscriminate  kicking  ; 
while  an  inquisitive  and  jeering  Chinese  crowd  pressed  upon  us. 
The  natives  held  aloof,  and  it  was  only  after  long  argument 
that  we  managed  to  house  ourselves  in  a  wretched  inn  where 
everybody  was  smoking  opium.  For  our  own  part  we  preferred 
the  stable  and  a  straw-shed  to  the  abomination  of  the  common 
room.  Briffaud,  who  had  been  on  a  tour  of  discovery,  came 
back  with  the  news  that  we  were  invited  to  dinner.  We 
followed  him  across  several  courts  to  the  "yamen."  A  fat 
mandarin  received  us,  and  forthwith  made  us  share  his  repast  ; 
and  an  excellent  meal  it  was.  We  were  in  the  house  of  the 
"  toussou  "  (chief).  He  plied  us  with  questions,  and  pressed  us 
to  spend  the  next  day  with  him,  offering  the  inducement  of  a 
stag  hunt.  We  regretted  that  time  did  not  allow  of  our  accepting 
his  invitation.  During  the  conversation  I  was  struck  by  the 
humble  attitude  of  Master  Francois,  who,  insolent  enough  in  his 
bearing  towards  us,  did  not  know  how  to  sufficiently  abase 
himself  in  the  presence  of  a  superior  of  his  own  race. 

We  resumed  our  journey  on  the  following  day  with  a  pleasant 
recollection  of  the  chief  of  Fong-chen-lin,  and  above  all  of  his 
"  oeufs  farcis."  He  had  agreeably  varied  our  fare,  which  had 
consisted  for  some  time  of  rice  and  fowl,  fowl  and  rice,  with 
only  now  and  then  pork  and  vegetables.  We  made  cakes  which 
served  in  fancy  for  bread  ;  but  in  reality  they  were  rice  rolled 
into  a  paste  and  toasted. 

45 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

On    our    way    I    noted    with     curiosity    the     method    employed 
by  the  natives  to  winnow  the  rice  by  hydraulic  apparatus. 


XC 


B 


A  X 

A  beam  of  wood  is  i)ierced  by  a  spindle  at  A',  a  trough  is 
hollowed  at  A,  and  the  extremity  B  is  the  pestle.  A  stream 
of  water  constantly  fills  the  trough  A,  tipping  the  beam  till  the 
trough  empties  itself  and  the  pestle  B  falls.  The  irrigation 
canals  are  much  utilised  to  work  these  machines.  Nam  opened 
his  mouth  with  astonishment  at  the  inventive  genius  of  the 
natives  ;  the  Annamites  had  never  seen  them  before.  I  remarked 
to  him  that  if  this  system  were  employed  in  his  country  the 
Annamite  women  would  have  more  spare  time,  and  their  deluded 
husbands  less  peace,  which  he  gravely  admitted. 

To-day's  stage  brought  us  to  a  market  where  great  animation 
was  manifested  in  the  barter  of  iron  -  ore,  vegetables,  and  oil 
carried  in  hollow  bamboos,  against  sugar,  silk,  drugs,  rock-salt 
retailed  by  the  Chinese,  and  European  articles.  Of  course  there 
was  the  inevitable  gamble  of  "  bacouan " ;  and  I  was  urged  by 
a  stout  worthy  to  look  through  a  peep-hole,  which  was  nothing 
but  a  stereoscope  surmounted  by  cymbals,  and  to  try  my  luck. 
I  respectfully  declined.  Here  again  we  noticed  among  the  natives 
yet  another  tribe,  hitherto  unmet  with,  whose  characteristics  were 
slight  figures,  pale  complexion,  nose  straight  and  prominent, 
with  thick  lips  and  large  straight-set  eyes.  Their  costume  too 
was  peculiar.  It  consisted  of  a  black  tunic  gathered  in  by  a 
sash,  and  studded  from  top  to  bottom  with  a  double  row  of 
metal  buttons.       Round  the   neck  was   fastened  a  collar  similarly 

adorned,    and    on    their    heads    they    wore    a    large    black    turban 

46 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 


over  a  small  horsehair  skull  -  cap.  These  people  were  very 
shy  ;  I  had  much  ado  to  photograph  them  ;  and  on  my  pro- 
posing to  buy  a  tunic,  they  fell  on  their  knees  and  proftered 
me  some  sapecks,  trying  to  force  back  into  my  hands  a  small 
hand-glass  I  had  given  them.  I  think  they  took  us  for  gods. 
They  said  they  were  Lintindjous,  but  the  Chinese  called  them 
Yaos.  Rumour  ascribed  to  them  a  writing  of  their  own,  of 
which   we   tried    in    vain    to   procure   a   specimen ;    their   dialect   at 

any  rate  was  totally  dif- 
ferent from  any  other. 
They  had  come  to 
market  with  a  dye  for 
sale.  The  Lintindjou 
females  displayed  a  small 
disc  above  the  hair  knot, 
which  lent  their  turbans 
some  resemblance  to  a 
papal  tiara.  In  their 
ears  were  heavy  double 
rings  of  silver. 

On  the  7th  (March) 
we  re-entered  the  valley 
of  the  Red  River,  to  the  satisfaction  of  our  men.  There  was 
much  talk  in  camp  of  pirates  on  the  heights.  For  my  own 
part  I  believe  they  were  only  natives  in  revolt  against  the  taxes, 
but  our  mafous  showed  no  desire  for  chin-chin  with  them. 
Spying  on  the  door  of  a  house  here  some  white  hieroglyphics, 
I  hastened  to  copy  them,  and  flattered  myself  that  I  had  made 
prize  of  a  new  script.  But  Sao  damped  my  philological  ardour 
by    pronouncing    the    building    to    be    a    buffalo    stable,    and    the 

47 


t'"1 


A  Vao. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

characters  nothing  but  rude  representations  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments.     I   am  inclined  to  believe  he  was  right. 

At  a  hamlet  some  furlongs  from  the  river  we  called  a  halt 
for  a  day  to  rest  our  tired  animals,  one  of  which  we  had  been 
compelled  to  abandon  that  morning.  The  dwellings  in  this  place 
were  white,  with  gabled  roofs  cemented  with  lime  ;  and  had  it 
not  been  for  the  hideous  red  paper  with  which  the  doors  were 
plastered,  one  might  have  believed  oneself  in  an  Arab  country. 
As  night  fell,  the  mist  that  wrapped  the  opposite  shore  was 
cloven  by  the  glare  of  a  conflagration  :  a  fiery  serpent  writhed 
on  the  hillside  and  coiled  itself  in  the  hollows,  to  rear  a 
glowing  head  as  it  crept  upwards  to  the  summit.  P'or  hours  I 
watched  with  awestruck  admiration  this  spectacle  of  splendid 
devastation. 

On  the  morrow  we  resumed  our  march  by  the  zigzag  course 
of  the  Song-Coi,  which  here  varied  in  width  from  about  fifty 
yards  in  the  stream  to  three  hundred  yards  in  the  bed.  Houses 
were  grouped  in  terraces  upon  the  promontories,  sometimes  with 
verandahs,  Thibetan  fashion,  with  flat  adjoining  roofs,  which 
afforded  drying  ground  for  the  hay  and  means  of  communica- 
tion for  the  inmates.  The  latter  were  Pais,  or,  to  speak  more 
generally,  Laotians,  clad  in  Chinese  garb.  Sao  addressed  some 
words  to  them  in  Laotian,  and  was  understood.  The  whole 
of  this  part  of  the  Red  River  valley  showed  traces  of  a 
bygone  prosperity,  and  must  have  been  ravaged  by  the  Mussul- 
man war. 

The  path  at  this  point  left  the  lower  level,  and  climbed  under 
craggy  rocks  to  which  clung  the  taper-like  cactus,  and  by  slopes 
where  the  sward  lay  like  a  fleece,  over  which  one  felt  inclined 
to  pass  one's  hand  ;   when  ruffled  by  the  breeze  its  surface  broke 

48 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

into  a  play  of  colours  as  of  golden  plush.  From  here  I  made 
an  expedition  with  Francois  to  a  neighbouring  Lolo  village, 
whose  inhabitants  steadfastly  refused  to  be  photographed,  alleg- 
ing that  if  they  sat  in  front  of  the  camera  they  would  meet 
an  early  death.  They  could  give  us  no  information  as  to  Lolo 
manuscripts,  but  said  that  farther  on  we  should  find  many  more 
of  their  kindred.  Back  to  the  valley  again,  where  the  Pai 
women  were  net-fishing  in  the  rice  swamps,  or  working  in  minia- 
ture market  gardens.  In  one  of  their  villages  we  sought  shelter 
for  the  ensuing  night  in  a  house  built  on  a  low  platform,  with 
posts  within  blackened  by  the  soot  of  ages.  Here  I  ensconced 
myself  on  the  landlord's  bed. — two  planks  on  the  bare  ground  ; 
outside,  our  baggage  was  piled  in  a  crescent,  of  which  our  men 
improvised  two-storeyed  accommodation.  Having  written  up 
my  notes,  I  tried  to  sleep ;  but  the  smoke,  the  stuffiness,  the 
grunting  pigs  and  clucking  hens,  prevented  my  closing  an  eye. 
At  length  I  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  took  my  blankets  up 
on  to  the  flat  roof  where  in  the  friendly  society  of  a  few  rats  I 
found  a  luxurious  couch  of  hay.  Below  me,  by  the  door,  two 
men  made  plaintive  melody  on  a  three-stringed  guitar,  while  a 
third,  seated  on  the  edge  of  the  roof,  threw  in  an  occasional 
accompaniment.  Near  them,  their  mitre-shaped  caps  sharply  pro- 
filed in  the  clear  moonlight,  crouched  some  women.  The  scene 
was  quaint  and  foreign. 

On  the  iith  (March)  we  were  in  the  valley  of  another  affluent, 
and  limestone  formations  took  the  place  of  the  diorite  and 
mica-schist  of  the  higher  altitudes.  The  heat  was  great  through- 
out the  day,  98°  Fahr.  in  the  shade,  but  dry,  and  we  stood 
it   well    enough.     Fine   specimens    of  the    cotton    or,    as    they  are 

here  called,  pagoda  trees  spread  their  clusters  of  brilliant   flowers  ; 
D  49 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


out  of  their  thick  glutinous  calix  the  natives  make  a  conserve. 
The  rising  ground  brought  us  to  a  village  in  which  again  a  new 
tribe,  the  Miaotses,  presented  itself,  with  inconsiderable  dis- 
tinguishing marks, 
chiefly  in  a  loose 
jacket  without  but- 
tons worn  by  the 
women.  I  could 
not  here  find  any 
natives  who  under- 
stood Chinese,  and 
was  therefore  unable 
to  obtain  precise 
information    in    their 

After  the  Chinese, 
the  natives  of 
Yunnan  are  divided 
into  the  Ijen,  who 
are  the  subject 
Lolos,  and  the 
Mantzes,  who  are 
the  free.  The  Ijen 
comprise  the  Hei-y, 
the  Pa-y,  the  Pai-y, 
the  Lolos,  the  Teou- 
lous,  the  Cha-jen,  the 
Noung-jen,  the  Poula,  the  Manjen,  etc.  Kouitchan  is  the  parent 
district  of  the  Yaos  and  the  Miaos,  who  are  sometimes  met  with 
in   Yunnan. 

50 


Harrower,   Miaotsc  Tribe. 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

The  Miaos  or  Miaotses  (who  do  not  speak  Chinese)  have 
four  family  names :  Tien,  Lo,  Tch'eng,  and  Ts'ai.  They  are 
divided  into — 

Koua  Miao    .  .  .  dress,  various. 

Pai  Miao       .  .  .  ,,      yellow. 

Hei  Miao      .  .  .  ,,      blue-black. 
H'ing  Miao. 

On  leaving  the  Miaotse  village,  we  noticed  at  the  foot  of  a 
large  tree  a  white  marble  trough  surmounted  by  a  Chinese  in- 
scription, and  below  it  two  horizonal  marble  slabs,  on  one  of 
which  the  following  figure  was  engraved  : — 


Descending  again  to  the  level  of  the  Song-CoT,  we  entered 
upon  scenery  of  unforeseen  beauty.  The  road  wound  beneath 
a  wooded  hillock,  where  the  breeze  that  stirred  the  branches 
wafted  a  faint  fragrance  of  vanilla,  not  unlike  the  sweet  scent 
of  the  joss-sticks  of  Thibet,  and  the  grove  was  bright  with  large 
white  blooms,  either  pendent  or  strewn  upon  the  ground  like 
snowflakes.  A  little  farther  it  dipped  into  cool  hollows  filled 
with  slender  reeds  or  the  wavino-  boug-hs  of  the  mimosa  and 
the  tamarind.  Coming  from  the  rocky  desolation  of  the  river- 
bed, the  sensation  was  like  that  of  Aladdin  when  he  emerged 
into  the  Wonderful  Garden  after  threading  long  labyrinths  of 
dreary  caves.  In  the  heart  of  this  little  paradise  nestled  a  Pai 
hamlet ;  by  which  for  the  night  we  pitched  our  tent,  and  watched 
the    moon    rise    almost  red  through  the  boles  of   the    trees,  as    in 

51 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

some  remembered  scene  in  Japan.  Then  to  sleep  :  with  only 
the  chirp  of  the  cricket  and  the  "  takko-ko-ko "  of  the  lizards 
round  us. 

Two  more  stages  and  we  should  arrive  at  Isa ;  the  road 
became  more  frequented,  as  was  shown  by  stone  water  -  troughs 
for  the  caravans  under  little  wayside  shelters.  We  met  strings 
of  mules  laden  with  salt,  and  other  merchandise  is  taken  down 
the  river  in  small  i6-feet  boats,  which  descend  in  convoys.  At 
the  rapids  the  flotilla  stops,  the  crews  take  to  the  water,  and 
pass  each  cargo  through  in  turn. 

Our  rate  of  progress  was  slow,  for  the  animals  were  tired. 
One  of  the  mules  being  hardly  able  to  stagger  on,  the  makotou 
bled  it  from  the  tongue,  and  burnt  a  rag  under  its  nose,  which 
caused  a  discharge  from  its  nostrils ;  he  then  made  the  animal 
inhale  some  powdered  pimento  placed  on  glowing  charcoal,  and 
finally  forced  it  to  swallow  a  black  drug  called  kouizen.  After 
which  attentions  the  mule  revived  sufficiently  to  proceed. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  13th  (March)  we  came  in  sight  of 
Isa.  I  have  seen  few  things  more  cheerful  than  the  aspect  of 
this  little  town.  Crowning  the  hills  and  set  in  the  verdure  of 
the  valleys,  it  enclosed  its  tiers  of  white  -  roofed  houses  within 
walls  which  the  bamboo  and  larger  trees  chequered  with  their 
shadows  in  the  sunlight.  Beneath  it,  in  the  plain,  ran  the  river ; 
on  the  right  bank,  rice-fields  dotted  with  villages ;  on  the  left, 
the  range  that  we  now  forsook,  which  reared  its  bare  crags  as 
a  background  to  the  richness  of  this  little  oasis. 

It  was  opposite  Isa  that  Gamier  descended.  The  town  con- 
tains some  thousands  of  inhabitants,  and  has  a  brisk  trade.  Salt 
comes  from  Mohei  (near  Pou  -  eul  -  Fou),  sugar  from  Tong-hai, 
tobacco    from    Canton    through     Manhao,    and    other    goods    from 

52 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

Yuenkiang.     They    told    us,    also,    of  an    ancient    copper    mine    in 
the  river  valley,   now  disused. 

We  had  the  luck  to  fail  in  our  quest  of  an  inn,  so  camped  in 
the  midst  of  the  tombs  on  a  mound  topped  by  a  polygonal  stone 
kiosk,  which  now  contained  nothing  but  a  few  joss  -  sticks :  it 
made  us  a  good  kitchen.  The  populace  was  almost  exclusively 
Chinese,  and  the  gapers  were  as  numerous  as  usual  in  that  race. 
A  few  of  them,  however,  betook  themselves  from  contemplation 
of  us  to  flying  kites,  which  rose  to  a  great  height,  and  produced 
a  strange  humming  through  a  tube  tied  to  the  tail.  In  the 
same  way,  the  Chinese  have  a  habit  of  fastening  a  musical  pipe 
under  the  tail-feathers  of  their  pigeons.  All  these  loafing  fellows 
were  a  nuisance,  though  not  hostile  as  at  Setchuen.  They  did 
not  resent  our  scattering  them,  but  settled  again  immediately 
like  flies. 

From  Isa  to  Ta-lan  was  said  to  be  eisjht  stages,  at  the  fifth 
of  which  we  should  rejoin  the  highway  from  Yuenkiang,  unless 
a  short  cut  should  allow  of  our  avoiding  the  known  routes. 

Having,  therefore,  replenished  our  commissariat  and  disap- 
pointed the  wily  Francois,  who  sought  to  inveigle  us  into  staying 
by  the  tale  of  a  wondrous  dragon  with  a  jewel  in  its  head,  that 
we  might  undoubtedly  capture  in  the  vicinity,  we  set  forward  on 
the  following  day,  and,  leaving  the  main  road  on  our  right,  bade 
farewell  to  the  river  valley,  and  directed  our  course  to  the  west. 
I  preceded  the  main  body  with  Sao,  but,  owing  to  the  native 
ignorance  of  Chinese,  our  inquiries  as  to  the  route  met  with  the 
invariable  response  of  "Ma  chai "  ("I  can't  say").  Eventually, 
a  Chinese  innkeeper  put  us  right,  and  we  reached  our  intended 
halting-place,  a  village  called  Souto.  The  people  were  Lolos 
again,    and   while   waiting  for    the    rest  of  the    party    I    conversed 

55 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

with  them  by  signs,  showed  them  my  field-glasses,  and  asked  for 
manuscripts.  They  indicated  that  they  had  none.  Francois 
was  of  no  help  to  me  in  these  researches,  as  he  ignored  the 
existence  of  Lolo  writings,  and  regarded  my  efforts  as  a  harm- 
less eccentricity.  According  to  him,  the  Houd-dzeu  alone,  the 
abstainers  from  pig,  had  other  characters  than  the  Chinese. 

While  thus  engaged  with  the  villagers  the  day  declined,  and 
still  no  caravan.  We  decided  to  retrace  our  steps,  but  night 
overtook  us  at  the  entrance  to  a  wood.  It  seemed  more  prudent 
to  stop,  as  we  had  before  us  a  solitary  dwelling  where  earlier  in 
the  day  we  had  asked  the  way.  Accordingly  we  knocked,  but, 
getting  no  answer  save  the  barking  of  a  dog,  I  pushed  open  the 
gate  and  entered  the  courtyard.  A  shrivelled  beldame  accosted 
us,  and  in  trembling  accents  conjured  us  to  go  away,  repeating 
incessantly  the  familiar  phrase,  "  Ma  chai."  As  it  was  black  as 
pitch  outside,  I  bade  Sao  pacify  the  old  woman,  which  he  pro- 
ceeded to  do  by  patting  her  on  the  shoulder  and  pouring  out  a 
string  of  Chinese  and  Laotian  patois.  The  dialogue  had  been 
begun  by  the  light  of  a  match  which  I  struck  ;  I  now  lit  a  wisp 
of  straw,  which  the  hag  no  sooner  saw  than,  thinking  we  were 
going  to  burn  down  her  hovel,  she  trampled  on  it  with  her  bare 
feet  in  great  alarm.  At  this  juncture  a  ragged  old  man  appeared 
on  the  scene.  He  had  more  wits  than  the  grandam,  and  presently 
the  matter  seemed  in  a  fair  way  of  settlement.  An  oil  lamp  was 
produced,  some  straw  shaken  down  for  our  beds,  and  we  unsaddled 
the  horses  and  laid  aside  our  arms.  Meanwhile  disquieting  shouts 
were  heard  without,  accompanied  by  dropping  shots  from  the 
direction  of  the  village.  "  Pou  pa"  ("don't  fear"),  said  the  man  ; 
but  I  was  far  from  feeling  reassured  ;  and  as  the  tumult  increased 
I  stepped  out  into  the  yard,   making  signs  at  the  same  time  that 

56 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 


he  should  sally  forth  and  interview  the  rioters.  A  long  silence 
showed  that  a  parley  was  being  held.  I  took  my  stand  in  the 
court  with  Sao,  who  did  not  lose  his  sang  froid.  Of  a  sudden, 
about  a  dozen  men  burst  in  armed  with  guns,  12-feet  lances, 
swords,  and  tridents.  The  Hou-Nis  (for  as  such  I  at  once  recog- 
nised them)  were  led  by  a  man  brandishing  a  torch,  and  from 
their  threatening  gestures  seemed  about  to  fall  on  ;  their  pieces 
were  at  the  shoulder  and  their  fingers  uncomfortably  close  to  the 
triggers.  I  had  slipped 
my  revolver  into  my 
pocket  and  loaded  my 
gun,  determined  not  to 
sell  my  skin  for  nothing; 
though,  caught  in  a  trap 
as  we  were,  we  were 
pretty  sure  of  our 
quietus  if  they  attacked. 
In  this  crisis  Sao  sur- 
prised me  by  his  cool 
courage  for  an  Anna- 
mite.  Knowing  that, 
bad  as  his  Chinese  was,  it  would  come  better  from  an  Asiatic 
than  my  gibberish,  I  left  the  speaking  to  him.  Our  old 
emissary  had  by  this  time  prudently  made  himself  scarce. 
In  roueh  tones  the  leader  of  the  band  invited  me  to  begfone. 
This  was  not  our  intention,  so  we  replied  by  making  signs 
that  we  were  hungry,  and  to  show  a  firm  front  began  to 
sweep  a  space  in  the  court  for  a  fire.  Then  Sao  had  an 
inspiration.  Although  he  could  not  speak  Chinese,  he  could 
write  it.     The   yard  served  as  a  spacious  slate,  and  he  forthwith 

57 


\ 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

proceeded  to  describe  our  situation  with  his  finger  in  the 
sand.  As  soon  as  one  phrase  was  comprehended,  he  rubbed  it 
out  and  traced  another.  The  Hou-Ni  chief  then  made  answer 
by  the  same  medium,  witli  the  help  of  a  word  or  two  of  Laotian. 
The  position  which  a  moment  before  had  looked  ugly  was  altered, 
— each  had  taken  the  other  for  robbers.     Our  wild  gane  now  was 

o         o 

tamed,  and  for  a  small  sum  of  money  brought  us  eggs  and  rice 
and  straw  mattresses.  Still  they  seemed  reluctant  to  leave  us, 
and  four  or  five  hung  about  our  sleeping  quarters  with  their  arms 
in  their  hands,  casting  covetous  eyes  on  my  gun.  The  one  who 
had  appeared  their  head  observing  me  taking  notes,  asked  me, 
through  Sao,  to  write  some  words  for  him  to  hang  up  at  the  foot 
of  an  image  in  his  house.  At  length  they  withdrew,  and,  worn 
out  with  fatigue,  I  slept.  At  daylight  we  felt  very  glad  to  be 
once  more  in  the  saddle  ;  the  overnight  scene  of  the  courtyard 
filled  with  savage  faces  lit  up  by  the  torchlight  had  left  a  suffi- 
ciently vivid  impression.  But  for  my  Annamite's  presence  of 
mind  anything  might  have  happened ;  the  least  hesitation  would 
have  lost  us  our  lives. 

We  found  our  troop  installed  in  a  pagoda  in  the  village 
of  Souto-tia.  The  monthly  feast  of  Buddha  was  in  progress. 
Women  were  on  their  knees  with  clasped  hands  before  the  figure 
of  a  fat  god  ;  its  features  wore  an  expression  of  perfect  bestiality, 
and  in  one  hand  was  placed  a  garland,  in  the  other  a  scroll.  The 
worshippers  accompanied  their  chant  with  bells  or  sticks,  and 
from  time  to  time  prostrated  themselves  in  front  of  the  altars, 
on  which  were  burning  perfumes,  bowls  of  rice,  tamarind  seeds, 
and  other  offerings.  In  Souto  I  at  last  succeeded  in  laying  hands 
on  two  Lolo  manuscripts,  in  exchange  for  some  money,  a  looking- 
glass,  and  a  pair  of  scissors. 

58 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

We  resumed  our  march  in  company  with  five  Chinese  on 
horseback,  and  twenty  men  on  foot  armed  with  matchlocks,  spears, 
and  tridents,  who  formed  the  escort  of  a  minor  mandarin  on  his 
way  to  chastise  some  Hou-Ni  rebels.  The  natives  hereabouts 
had  a  reputation  for  lawlessness  ;  most  of  them  carried  weapons 
and  employed  their  spare  time  in  brigandage,  of  which  spirit  we 
had  evidence  at  a  village  from  which  the  inhabitants  issued  and 
with  angry  menaces  forbade  us  entry. 

The  landscape  began  to  change.  We  had  left  the  region  of 
rice-fields  for  confused  mountains  covered  with  brake  and  brush- 
wood, and  were  approaching  the  divergence  of  the  Red  and  Black 
Rivers.  At  Ta-yang-ka  the  headman  told  us  of  a  path  followed 
by  caravans  coming  from  Ibang,  which  passed  through  Muong-le 
without  rejoining  the  main  Ta-lan  road.  We  decided  to  take  it, 
and  this  time  our  men  obeyed  without  much  demur.  They  began 
to  recognise  our  determination,  of  which  they  had  received  a  tresh 
proof.  Up  to  this  point  the  makotou  had  paid  the  mafous, 
deducting  half  a  tael  for  food  from  the  seven  taels  per  man  which 
he  drew  from  us.  We  now  learned  that  the  rogue  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  handing  his  subordinates  only  five  taels.  Upon  their 
complaint,    I   promised  for  the  future  to  pay  them  direct. 

To  the  men  originally  engaged  at  Mongtse  we  had  now 
and  then,  as  occasion  served,  added  another  as  guide.  A  young 
Lolo,  who  at  this  time  was  acting  in  that  capacity,  proved 
intelligent,  and  furnished  me  with  some  facts  regarding  the  Pais. 
By  his  account  they   are   divided   into   four  sorts — 

( 1 )  The  Cliui-Pa'is ;  distinguishing  mark,  black  trousers  and 
blue  vest  in   the  women. 

(2)  The  Kin-Pats ;  hair  twisted  into  a  knot  like  a  horn, 
sleeve-cuffs  gathered  in  at  wrists. 

59 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

(3)  The  Pd-Pats,  or  White  Pais  ;  women  —  black  trousers, 
white  vest. 

(4)  The  Hd-Pais,  or  Black  Pais  ;  women  wear  skirt  instead  of 
trousers,  and  a  waistcoat ;    men  in  dark  blue. 

He  averred  that  the  Hou-Nis  had  no  writing  like  the  Lolos. 
They  reckon  numbers  by  means  of  parallel  lines  ;  thus,  £,  2,  3,  4, 
etc.,  and  are  only  conversant  with  two  characters,  signifying 
100  and  200  respectively.  But  the  Hou-Nis  and  the  Lolos 
understand  each  other  in  speech,  indeed  their  vocables  revealed 
many  similarities  of  sound.  This  particular  guide  styled  himself 
a  Hei-Lolo  ;  farther  west  are  found  the  P^-Lolos.  The  Miaotses, 
too,  have  a  writing.  It  is  well  known  that  M.  Devdria  found,  in 
a  published  Chinese  work,  a  page  the  characters  of  which  were 
ascribed  to  the  Miaotses.  We  met  women  here  clad  only  in  a 
sort  of  bathing  costume,  with  a  loose  open  vest.  Their  hair 
was  parted  behind,  and  drawn  forward  in  two  bands  to  form  a 
top-knot,  protected  with  a  copper  sheath.  They  were  said  to 
belong  to  the  Hei-Hou-Nis.  I  remembered  a  like  head-dress 
among  the  independent  Lolos  of  Setchuen,  whom  the  missionaries 
called   "  Licornes." 

Beyond  Ta-yang-ka  we  were  enveloped  in  a  Scotch  mist,  with 

the    thermometer    down    to    46°   Fahr.       The    Chinese    who    paid 

us    a    visit    carried    a    small    basket    containing    an    earthen   vessel 

filled  with  hot  charcoal.       Some  of  them  concealed  this  Sybaritic 

warming-pan  under  their  garments,  and   looked   as    if   they    were 

deformed.      At  Lou-tchou  we  bore  away  pleasant  recollections  of 

the    hospitality    of    the    chief,    who    insisted    on    killing  a    pig    in 

our    honour,    and    gave    me    a   jade    cup    as    a    souvenir.       I    also 

acquired  copious  information,  costumes,  and  some  manuscripts. 

The  chief  was  a  toussou  in  command  of  a  hundred  men,  nomi- 

60 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

nated  by  the  Chinese  mandarin  at  Yuenkiang,  and  dependent  for 
his  pay  on  farming  the  taxes  of  the  district.  In  the  dialect  of 
this  part  the  Lolos  are  called  Nesous — a  name  met  with  by  the 
traveller  Bourne  in  other  parts  of  Yunnan  and  Setchuen,  and  by 
ourselves  much  farther  on.  Hence  Nesou  should  be  taken  as  a 
subdivision  of  the  general  designation  Lolo  among  the  peoples  of 
China.  These  Nesous  were  established  about  five  hundred  years 
ago,  under  Ming- la  (at  the  end  of  the  Ming  dynasty),  from  Tiang- 
Neu  (Nang-king).  This  coming  of  the  Lolos  from  the  East  was 
confirmed  to  us  later.  On  the  other  hand,  we  met  with  universal 
testimony  that  when  they  first  came  to  Yunnan  they  found  the 
Hou-Nis  already  settled  there.  Nowhere  did  I  hear  any  other 
place  of  origin  assigned  to  the  latter  than  Yunnan.  Wishing  to 
affirm  that  they  were  the  aborigines  of  Yunnan,  the  toussou 
told  me  that  the  Hou-Nis  had  been  in  this  province  for  over 
three  thousand  years.      He  divided  them  into — 

Hei- Hou-Nis, 

D^-Hou-Nis, 

Lami-Hou-Nis, 

Bana-Hou-Nis, 

the    last    two    not    being    found     in     this     region.         Polygamy    is 

prevalent   among    the    Lolos,    but  divorce   is   not  admitted.      The 

custom  noted  by   Rocher,   according   to  which  the  married  woman 

quits  her  husband  for  several  months  after  first    cohabitation,   was 

not    in     force     here.        Marriage    is    solemnised    by    drums    and 

trumpets  and  killing  of  fowls,  but  there   is   no   religious  ceremony. 

Particulars   as   to    creeds    were    always    hard    to    obtain,    especially 

with    a    bad    interpreter    like    ours.        But     I     gathered    that    the 

Lolos    believed    in    spirits,    in    one    more    powerful    than    all,    in 

heaven    and    hell,    and    in    the    existence    and    transmigration    of 

6i 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


souls.  They  have  books  of  prayer ;  and  though  they  do  not 
build  temples,  they  erect  little  bamboo  altars  in  the  woods. 
They  sing  and  dance,  and  the  dates  of  their  feasts  are  generally 
marked  in  the  Chinese  calendar.  The  climate  of  this  part  is 
cold    in    winter,    ice    even    being    seen    in    December.       Deer    and 

small  game  abound 
in  the  mountains, 
which,  as  far  as  the 
inhabitants  knew, 
have  no  mines. 
The  female  cos- 
tumes which  we 
bought  deserve 
mention,  being 
peculiar  for  a  long 
sort  of  cassock 
with  red  sleeves, 
the  corsage  worked 
with  handsome 
c  j/  /  arabesques    in 

black,  white,  and 
red,  disclosing, 
when  open,  a  small 
embroidered  vest. 
It  is  from  these 
varied  hues  that  the  Lolos  probably  derive  the  name  Koua- 
Lolos  (Lolos  of  colour).  The  throat  was  encircled  by  a  band 
with  a  silver  clasp,  and  the  head  by  a  turban,  the  ends  of 
which   were  brought   round    in    front  and  ornamented   with   silver 

studs,    while    large    ear-rings    of    the    same    metal    completed    the 

62 


.:'7 


//'/.,.. 


Lolo  Woman. 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

whole.  Manuscripts  were  plentiful  at  Lou-tchou,  and  they 
brought  me  some  very  fine  illuminated  ones.  The  characters 
are  still  in  use,  employed  in  property  contracts  in  duplicate  with 
Chinese.  A  more  learned  native  than  most  agreed  to  make  a 
translation  for  me,  and  said  the  Lolo  caligraphy  contained  three 
hundred  letters  and  signs,  and  was  read  from  the  top  of  the 
page  to  the  bottom,  and  from  left  to  right. 

We  quitted  Lou-tchou  in  thick  fog  by  a  route  following  for  the 
most  part  the  crests  of  the  hills  through  low  woods,  where  red  and 
white  rhododendrons  alternated.  Primitive  bee-hives  furnished  us 
with  welcome  honey  in  hollow  trunks  stopped  with  clay  and  bored 
through  the  middle.  The  route  being  fairly  frequented,  we  met 
quantities  of  tea  and  cotton,  the  former  sometimes  wrapped  in 
bamboo  leaves  ;  most  of  the  muleteers  were  armed  with  tridents, 
and  as  the  caravans  travelled  in  large  convoys  their  appearance 
was  sufficient  to  overawe  robbers.  Despite  the  bad  weather,  our 
men  kept  up  well.  Francois,  draped  in  a  long  blue  cloak,  under 
a  round  grey  hat,  looked  from  behind  like  a  town-clock  ;  on  the 
march  he  sat  his  pony  like  a  statue,  mute  and  erect ;  only  after 
dinner  was  his  tongue  loosed,  and  he  would  condescend  to  inter- 
rogate the  natives. 

Among  our  mafous  was  one,  a  lad  of  twelve,  accompanying 
his  father,  whose  frank  expression  and  cheery  "cheulo"  ("all  right") 
quite  gained  our  hearts  ;  even  when  he  rapped  out  the  customary 
"  malepi,"  the  imprecation  seemed  to  lose  half  its  ugliness.  It  was 
deplorable  to  think  that  this  boy  was  doomed  to  so  short  a  child- 
hood, and  that  ere  long  he  would  inevitably  become  a  confirmed 
opium -smoker,  and  acquire  with  their  passions  all  the  corruption 
of  his  elders.  Among  the  Hou-Ni  villages  around  the  greatest 
squalor  prevailed,  and  the  wretched   inhabitants   lived   in   constant 

63 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


terror  of  tigers,  which  even  invaded  their  hovels,  and  had  recently 
carried  off  two  men  :  we  ourselves  met  many  traces  of  these  animals 
for  several  days.  Our  surroundings,  however,  improved  by  the 
19th  (March),  when  we  were  on  the  descent  into  the  valley  of 
the  La-niou-ho,  an  affluent  of  the  Lysiang-kiang,  or  Black  River ; 
within   five  miles  of  which  gold  was   said    to    be   found.      The  fog 

cleared  off;  instead  of  forest, 
we  had  rice  or  poppy  fields, 
terraced  villages  amid  Indian 
fig-trees  festooned  with  orieantic 
creepers  or  covered  with  hairy 
orchids,  and  open  tracts  of 
moss  -  ^rrown  rocks  and  fern. 
The  air  was  scented  with 
orange  blossom  and  alive  with 
sethyopiga  of  brilliant  hue  ; 
through  such  scenery,  typical 
of  Upper  Tonkin,  we  made 
the  stage  to  Ngapa.  One 
could  not  but  be  struck  with 
the  degradation  of  the  women 
of  this  district  :  with  scarcely  a 
rag  to  cover  them,  they  were 
here,  as  in  Thibet,  little  better 
than  beasts  of  burden,  the  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water. 
A  cotton  caravan  met  us  here,  coming  from  a  region  beyond 
the  tea  plantations,  eighteen  days  distant.  The  cotton  is  bought 
at  eight  taels  the  pecuV  and  sold  for  fourteen.  This  commodity 
might  with  advantage  be  sent  by  us  from  Tonkin. 

^  Pecul  =  about  133  lbs. 
64 


Woman  at  Ngapa. 


FROM   MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

The  dampness  of  the  climate  caused  Briffaud  a  slight  attack 
of  fever,  and  we  had  no  desire  to  stay  In  the  neighbourhood ; 
but  one  morning,  as  we  were  about  to  make  an  early  start,  we 
discovered  that  a  case  containing  provisions  and  a  cape  of  mine 
was  missing.      We  had   passed  the  night  in  a  solitary  hut,  whose 


mi:^ 


Feeding  the  Prisoner. 


only  tenants  were  four  natives.  As  neither  threats  nor  careful 
search  revealed  the  box,  we  resolved  on  drastic  measures,  and 
proceeded  to  make  two  of  them  captives,  to  be  carried  off  as 
hostages.  Accordinelv  their  hands  were  tied  behind  their  backs, 
without  a  sign  of  opposition  on  their  parts.  The  one  female  in 
E  65 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  hovel  fed  them  before  their  departure,  and  nothing  more 
comic  can  be  conceived  than  to  see  this  brace  of  goitred  imbeciles 
on  their  knees  receivinsr  beakfuls  of  food  from  their  nurse.  This 
done,   the  column  set  forward. 

Wild  camellias  abounded  by  the  way,  and  with  the  change 
of  ilora  I  observed  also  new  fauna,  scarlet  paroquets  and  birds 
of  turquoise  blue.  Plants  and  insects  were  of  no  less  brilliance, 
and  it  was  interesting  to  note  the  law  of  adaptation  and  protective 
colour  that  everywhere  exists.  Our  quadrupeds  were  jaded  :  my 
own  horse,  skittish  enough  at  the  start,  was  now  dead  beat  ; 
every  few  yards  he  stopped,  and  could  hardly  be  induced  to 
move  although  I  dismounted  and  endeavoured  to  drag  him 
forward.  There  was  still  one  more  hill  before  us  ;  this  time  he 
could  not  breast  it.  Down  he  went.  Outstretched  limbs  and 
glazing  eye  showed  all  was  over.  Often  as  I  had  had  to  lose 
other  animals,  it  cost  me  a  pang  to  leave  behind  this  good 
servant,  whose  final  struggles  had  not  quite  availed  to  land 
him  at  the  stage's  end. 

Dinner   over,    I    examined    our    prisoners.      Miserable    tattered 

objects    they    were  :     one    maimed    and    embellished    with    a    huge 

goitre   like   the  pouch  of   a    pelican  ;    the   other   halt   and   with   his 

eyes   bulging   out   of  his   head.      They   might   have   been   fugitives 

from  the  Court  of  Miracles,  fit  to  figure  in  one  of  Victor   Hugo's 

dramas.      Just   now,  having  had   a   meal   and  a  smoke,   they  were 

helping    our    mafous,    who    promptly    seized    so    rare    a    chance    of 

orettino-    their    work    done    for    them.       As    it    rained    heavily    and 

a   rest  was  imperative    for    the   mules,  we  decided  on  a  stoppage 

for  a  day.      The  captives   were  released, — -of  course,    without   the 

recovery    of    the    bo.x,  ^ — and    they    went    their    way    home    quite 

contented.     They  had  been  well  treated,  and  for  very  little  would 

66 


FROM   MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

have  stayed  with  us  of  their  own  choice.  The  goitred  one  even 
gave  us  guttural  thanlcs,  prefacing  every  word  with  a  sort  of 
bellow. 

Again  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Lolos  ;  and  by  showing 
those  that  we  had  already,  made  purchase  of  more  manuscripts. 
I  was  promised  one  upon  linen,  which  would  have  been  valuable 
as  older  than  the  others,  but,  unhappily,  this  I  never  got.  Sao 
saw  in  a  house  a  belt  made  of  the  skin  of  a  tiger,  cut  off  the 
chest  from  paw  to  paw,  leaving  one  claw  on  each.  Such  a 
waistband,  the  Annamites  say,  is  a  good  preventive  to  stomach 
ills,  and  the  Lolos  attach  the  same  efficacy  to  it.  These  tribes- 
men were  still  of  the  Koua  Lolos.  They  came  in  a  century 
ago  from  Chiping  on  the  Yiinnan-Sen  side,  and  maintained  a 
worship  of  the  P^ti  (Deity).  Their  garments  were  of  home- 
•  made  cotton,  stained  with  a  blue  dye  froni  Lotsen.  From  them 
we  heard  of  "  black  dogs "  in  the  neighbouring  mountains  that 
climbed  trees  :  query,  bears  ? 

On  the  22nd  (March)  we  came  to  the  right  brink  of  a  rushing 
torrent  called  the  La-niou-ho,  which  was  pronounced  impassable  by 
the  guide,  who  found  the  water  up  to  his  neck  at  the  ford.  The 
sight  of  a  collection  of  armed  villagers  on  the  far  side  did  not  serve 
to  encourage  our  men,  and  the  makotou  was  for  staying  where  we 
were  till  the  waters  should  decrease.  As  I  saw  no  reason  for  ex- 
pecting this,  but  rather  the  reverse,  Roux  and  I  put  our  animals  at 
it,  and  got  over  with  some  difficulty.  The  mules  were  then  dragged 
through  by  strings  of  five  at  a  time,  the  men  keeping  on  their  lee 
side  to  push  their  heads  up  stream.  Only  one  broke  adrift  and  was 
swept  down  a  rapid  which  was  below  :  we  hardly  thought  to  recover 
him,  but  being  without  his  load  he  came  through  somehow,  and  at 
the  end  of  three-quarters  of  an  hour  we  all  mustered  safe  on  the  left 

67 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

bank.  I  kept  the  photographic  materials  dry  by  taking  them  on  my 
head  ;  and  Nam,  who  loved  not  horseback,  did  the  same  for  the 
collecting  gun  by  holding  it  at  arm's-length  above  his  head.  Thus 
Camoens  swam  with  the  "  Lusiad  "  in  his  hand  ;  only  our  cook  was 
not  a  poet,  and  thought  most  of  his  pipe  and  his  pot,  after  his  own 
skin. 

We  slept  that  and  several  succeeding  nights  among  some  Hou- 
Nis,  tormented  by  legions  of  fleas  that  recalled  Madagascar.  The 
inhabitants  were  uniformly  hospitable,  and  this  tribe  pronounced 
themselves  in  their  own  dialect  Han.  The  women  had  their  lower 
teeth  stained  with  a  scarlet  dye  made  from  a  tree  called  sena.  There 
were  no  musical  instruments  nor  writing  amongst  them,  they  did 
not  dance,  and  they  prayed  to  a  superior  being  whom  they  called 
Ponkhu,  and  to  whom  they  erected  small  bamboo  altars.  In  pro- 
portion as  we  neared  the  Black  River  the  country  became  more 
cheerful,  with  a  formation  of  sandstone  or  slaty  schist.  The  hills 
were  clothed  with  tufts  of  feathery  bamboos  or  deeper  groves  of 
fig-trees,  with  roots  exposed  like  feelers  of  a  giant  polypus,  and  with 
a  species  of  palm  the  head  of  which  expanded  in  a  sheaf  ot  wind- 
tossed  dark  green  leaves  less  formal  than  ordinary.  Other  trees, 
again,  were  laden  with  violet-tinted,  sweet-smelling  blossoms,  which 
almost  hid  their  stems. 

We  should   have   enjoyed   this   part   more   had   it  not  been  for 

renewed  trouble  with  our  mafous.     They  were  slack,  and  we  had  to 

hurry  them  up,  with  the  result  that  three,  including  the  little  urchin 

and   his  father,  deserted.      Their   defection  had  a  bad  effect  on  the 

others,  and  we  were  constrained  to  lessen  their  baggage  duties,  and 

to  talk  freely  of  the  gratuity  with  which  those  that  remained  loyal 

would    be    able    to    make    merry  when    we  got  to  Ssumao.     That 

haven  of  delight  was   not  now  very  far  distant,  and  they  would  be 

68 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

singularly  short-sighted  to  forego  such  a  chance  for  want  of  a  final 
effort.     The  majority  of  them  saw  it  in  this  light,  and  held  on. 


Hatous. 
69 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

The  Hatous  were  the  next  new  folk  amongst  whom  we  found 
ourselves.  They  resembled  the  Hou-Nis  in  their  sombre  dress, 
but,  in  addition  to  the  usual  silver  ornaments,  the  women  wore 
cowries  or  pearls  pendent  from  large  ear-rings,  which  were  linked  by 
a  light  chain  under  the  chin.  They  were  all  very  partial  to  tobacco, 
which  they  smoked  in  small  wooden  pipes  with  silver  chains  ;  one 
stalwart  old  woman  offered  me  three  eggs  for  a  pinch  of  it  :  her 
upright  carriage,  with  the  energetic  expression  of  her  bronzed  and 
wrinkled  face  and  restless  eyes  beneath  her  turban,  gave  her  a  mien 
of  barbaric  wildness  that  suggested  something  almost  uncanny 
behind  the  mask.  These  Hatous,  whose  speech  was  akin  to  that 
of  the  Hou-Xis,  came  here  twenty-nine  years  ago  from  Ouang- 
Tchang  (near  Xieng-houng),  a  small  town  not  far  from  Tali,  and 
regretted  their  migration,  which  they  would  gladly  retrace  had  they 
the  means.  They  had  no  priests,  but  worshipped  the  deities  of 
sky,  earth,  house,  and  mountain,  as  well  as  ancestors  up  to  the 
third  generation,  and  they  disbelieved  in  evil  spirits. 

■  The  mountains  harboured  here  wild  boar,  deer,  roebuck,  porcu- 
pines, and  tigers.  The  black  panther  is  also  to  be  found.  I  bought 
a  skin  from  two  men,  who  called  it  helaofu  (black  tiger),  and  held 
that  it  was  the  latter  and  no  panther.  However  this  may  be,  I 
believe  this  is  the  first  occasion  when  this  colour  has  been  cited  in 
these  regions. 

We  reached  the  left  bank  of  the  Black  River  on  the  26th  (March), 

and  found  a  volume  of  tureid  water  rollinsf  down,  in  breadth  about 

eighty-seven  yards,  between  wooded  hills  of  less  height  than  those 

which  confine  the  Song-Coi.      Its  colour  contrasted  with  the  clear 

torrent   we   had   lately  been  following,  but  by  the  time  it   reaches 

Tonkin  it  has  lost  its  reddish  tint.     The  Black  River,  known  here 

as  the  Lysiang-Kiang,  higher  as  the  Papien,  and  lower  as  the  Song- 

70 


FROM   MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

Bo,  passes,  in  less  than  a  week's  journey  below  where  we  stood, 
Muong-le  (Lai-chau).  The  natives  talked  of  Tonkin,  to  the  dispirit- 
ing of  Sao,  who  imagined  that  by  embarking  here  on  a  raft  we 
might  be  back  there  in  a  week.  Nam,  too,  whose  geographical 
knowledge  was  of  the  vaguest,  and  placed  Saigon  close  by,  thought 
he  must  be  near  home.  They  both  wondered  where  in  the  world 
we  were  taking  them,  and  what  possible  object  we  could  have  in 
wandering-  about  such  uninvitinsf  and  monotonous  countries. 

The  passage  of  the  river  was  easily  accomplished  by  relays 
in  a  long  pirogue,  only  two  of  the  beasts  requiring  to  be  towed 
•over,  and  the  rest  beginning  quite  to  take  to  swimming. 

In  leaving  the  Black  River  I  too  threw  a  regretful  glance 
behind  me,  like  my  Annamites,  though  my  motive  was  not  theirs. 
The  knowledge  of  the  life  of  a  part  of  India,  of  Central  Asia, 
•embracing  several  hundred  million  beings,  was  becoming  intel- 
ligible to  my  perception.  For  the  moment  I  yielded  to  the 
witchery  of  Nirvana.  .  .  . 

But  at  night  we  were  rudely  recalled  to  the  realities  of  lite 
by  an  unforeseen  peril.  Under  the  pretext  that  tigers  were  in 
the  vicinity,  our  men  set  a  light  to  the  brushwood  round  our  hut. 
It  was  too  late  to  check  them,  and  presently  we  were  walled  in 
with  a  ring-fence  of  roaring  flame,  which,  if  it  saved  us  candles 
to  write  by,  also  only  missed  the  destruction  of  our  persons  and 
property  by  the  providential  absence  of  the  least  wind. 

We  reached  Muong-le  on  the  28th  (March)  ;  the  later  stages 
having  been  performed  over  a  paved  and  widened  road  through 
a.  pretty  country  positively  homelike  in  its  foliage  and  grassy 
slopes.  One  might  almost  have  imagined  oneself  in  some  corner 
of  France,  until  by  a  turn  of  the  path  one  came  upon  a  mud- 
walled  village    with    yellow  roofs   in  a  clearing  of  cane-brake  and 

73 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

palm  grove.  Down  on  the  level  the  sun  struck  bright  on  the 
streams  that  watered  the  rice-fields  and  bananas,  and  the  butter- 
Hies  and  birds  of  gaudy  hues  reminded  us  that  we  were  not  in 
northern  latitudes.  Muong-le  proved  to  be  a  small  town  of  less 
importance  than  Isa,  wholly  Chinese,  and  built  on  a  slight  hill  in 
the  centre  of  a  plain,  with  the  usual  characteristics  of  wood  or 
plastered  houses.  We  found  good  quarters  in  a  sufficiently  clean 
granary  belonging  to  an  inn.  The  inhabitants  lost  no  time  in 
telling  us  that  two  Frenchmen  had  been  here  only  a  few  months 
before,  coming  from  Lai-chau.  It  was  not  difficult  from  their 
description  to  identify  one  of  these  as  Pavie,  even  had  they  not 
held  his  name  in  remembrance ;  the  other  was  mentioned  as 
wearing  epaulettes,  and  was  known  to  the  Chinese  as  Ma.  Here, 
as  everywhere  in  my  travels  where  I  crossed  his  track,  I  was 
struck  by  the  admirable  impression  Pavie  had  left  on  the  people 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  The  French  cause  in  Indo- 
China  has  reason  to  be  grateful  to  this  pioneer  for  the  esteem  in 
which  the  name  of  France  is  held.  It  was  always  a  matter  of 
regret  to  me  that  I  did  not  meet  his  expedition,  to  shake  hands 
with  fellow-workers  in  our  common  aim.  We  congratulated  our- 
selves on  the  intersection  of  our  respective  routes,  however,  so  that 
each  in  his  research  would  fill  in  many  blanks  on  the  map  of  the 
region  extending  from  the  Chinese  Song-Coi'  to  the  Mekong. 

During  our  thirty-six  hours'  stay  at  Muong-le  our  relations 
with  the  inhabitants  and  the  mandarin  were  excellent.  We  ex- 
changed visits  of  courtesy  and  presents  with  the  military  com- 
mandant, "litajen."  Nor  did  the  crowd  incommode  us  as  at  Isa. 
As  the  29th  was  market-day  we  were  able  to  gain  much  insight 
into  the  trade  of  the  district.  Skins  of  panthers,  at  one  tael 
apiece,    were    common,    also    of  the    wild    cat    and    ant-eater.       I 

74 


FROM   MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

noticed  at  a  drugo-ist's  the  head  of  a  two-horned  rhuioceros^ 
which  had  been  killed  four  miles  from  here.  The  chief  native 
industry  is  a  black  cotton  stuff,  of  which  quantities  hung  before 
the  houses  to  dry.  Other  cotton  is  brouu'ht  from  Xiencr-hounQf, 
and  retailed  at  thirteen  taels  the  pecul  ;  salt  from  Makai ;  sugar 
in  round  sticks  from  the  neighbourhood,  where  the  cane  is  culti- 
vated,  and  sold  at  twenty-four  sapecks  the  Chinese  kilo. 

The  European  articles  of  import  are  English  needles,  coloured 
silks  from  Yiinnan-Sen,  and  French  metal  buttons  from  Canton. 
7  he  natives  also  sell  minute  cherries,  a  species  of  freshwater 
shell-fish,  tea  of  the  district  in  small  cylinders,  rice,  joss-sticks, 
tobacco  from  the  adjacent  country  in  twist  and  in  leaf,  the  tender 
sprouts  of  the  bamboo  maize  and  ginger  as  delicacies,  and  vege- 
tables. I  also  saw  chintz  from  Chu-ping,  wooden  combs,  pipe- 
stems,  and  flints.  Little  opium  is  to  be  seen  in  the  outskirts  of 
the  place  ;  it  is  introduced  in  large  quantities  from  Xieng-houng  or 
Mien-ling.  It  is  not  easy  to  gauge  the  caravan  traffic,  but  from 
what  I  heard  I  should  estimate  it  to  average  about  five  hundred 
mules  a  month,   except  in  the  three  rainy  ones. 

We  were  off  again  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  (March).  The 
rest  was  useful  and  necessary,  but  emphasised  the  undesirability 
of  staying  in  towns  by  an  episode  among  our  mafous  that  might 
have  turned  to  drama,  and  clearly  instanced  the  Chinese  char- 
acter.     The    evenino    before    we    started    the    makotou    discovered 

o 

the  loss  of  a  packet  of  money  from  the  chest  in  which  he  had 
placed  it.  Suspicion  fell  on  a  mafou  called  Manhao,  who  had 
hitherto  given  no  cause  for  dissatisfaction.  Forthwith  the 
makotou,  without  reference  to  us,  warning,  or  proof,  mustered  the 
other  mafous,  and  with  their  help  bound  the  suspect  tightly  to  a 
post.      In    this    position    they    left    the    poor    devil    for    the    night,. 

75 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

despite  his  protestations  and  howls.  And  among  all  his  fellows 
who  for  a  whole  month  had  travelled  with  him,  eaten  with  him, 
and  toiled  with  him,  there  was  not  one  who  would  lift  a  finger 
against  this  injustice.  They  are  a  cowardly  and  cruel  set,  this 
yellow  race,  always  ready  in  their  cold  selfishness  to  combine 
against  the  weak,  and  each  satisfied  if  by  finding  a  scapegoat  he 
can  secure  himself  La  Rochefoucauld  ought  to  have  written  his 
maxims  for  the  Chinese  ;  he  would  never  have  been  in  error. 
In  the  early  morning  Manhao  came  with  lamentations  to  us, 
showing  his  swollen  arms.  I  have  little  doubt  he  was  as  bad  as 
the  rest,  and  would  have  acted  himself  in  a  precisely  similar 
fashion  had  the  occasion  offered  ;  but  for  the  moment  he  was  the 
plaintiff,  and  our  investigations  only  established  the  fact  that 
there  was  absolutely  no  evidence  against  him.  After  having 
angrily  reprimanded  the  makotou,  to  his  intense  astonishment,  we 
required  him  to  take  care  of  the  accused.  The  epilogue  to  this 
little  drama  was  to  disclose  itself  a  few  days  later. 

The  two  first  stages  after  leaving  Muong-le  were  particularly 
uninteresting,  at  the  foot  of  the  hills  rice,  and  on  the  flanks  villages, 
thatched  and  unclean.  We  slept  among  Pais  who  had  nothing 
original.  The  only  incident  of  the  march  was  a  kick  which  one  of 
the  mules  obligingly  lent  me  in  the  face.  I  escaped  with  a  grazed 
eyebrow,  but  it  might  have  been  different.  It  was  not  without 
envy  that  we  saw  buffaloes  driven  into  the  villages  at  nightfall ;  but 
we  could  neither  make  acquaintance  with  their  flesh  nor  with  the 
milk  of  the  cows  :  ever  the  eternal  rice  and  eggs,  fowls,  and 
occasional  pork.  On  the  ist  April,  in  the  afternoon,  we  had  made 
our  customary  halt  for  a  bite  and  a  rest,  when  just  as  we  were  about 
to  resume,  a  tremendous  storm,  which  had  lowered  for  some  time 

in  the  hills,  burst  over  us.      Lightning,  thunder,  wind,  rain,  hail, — 

76 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

big  guns  and  mitrailleuses, — nothing  was  lacking ;  the  hailstones 
were  as  large  as  pigeons'  eggs.  Most  curious  was  the  aspect  of  the 
caravan,  as,  cloaked  in  my  ample  waterproof  with  my  shoulders 
stooped  to  the  deluge  and  my  sight  half  obscured  beneath  my  hat 
brim,  I  endeavoured  to  take  in  my  surroundings.  With  ears  laid 
back  and  tails  between  their  legs  the  animals  scattered,  driven  by 
the  blast  and  lashed  by  the  hail,  the  men  running  hither  and  thither 
in  vain  effort  to  collect  them.  Others  of  the  mafous  cowered 
beneath  their  blankets,  without  which,  in  sober  earnest,  the  hail 
would  have  been  dangerous.  I  felt  the  stones  rattle  round  my  ears, 
and  saw  naked  limbs  receiving  a  far  more  lively  impress  of  their 
sting.  Soon  the  faces  of  the  men  began  to  show  long  lines  of  red 
like  bleeding  scars,  the  dye  was  running  from  inside  their  caps  ia 
streaks  upon  their  visages.  As  for  our  two  Annamites,  bewilder- 
ment possessed  them,  the  phenomenon  was  altogether  unfamiliar  ; 
they  tried  one  or  two  of  the  hailstones  with  their  tongues,  and  then, 
as  the  projectiles  grew  bigger  and  the  wind  increased,  surrendered 
themselves  to  rigid  immobility,  like  capuchins  beneath  their  cowls. 

The  tempest  ceased  as  suddenly  as  it  began.  The  scared  sun 
looked  forth,  and  turned  the  hailstones  into  iridescent  gems,  or 
walnuts  sparkling  with  crystals.  "  What  a  pity,"  soliloquised  Nam, 
"  that  one  cannot  preserve  them  !" 

Within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  little  stream  that  before  had 
trickled  was  a  roaring  torrent,  and  we  recognised  that  this  route  must 
be  impracticable  in  the  rains.  The  surface  became  soft  and  treacher- 
ous, and  we  had  to  wade  through  pools  widening  over  oozy  ground 
in  which  the  animals  sank  to  their  girths.  Each  instant  saw  a  load 
upset  into  the  mud  ;  the  men  scarce  knew  when  to  give  the  mules 
their  heads,  and,  to  crown  all,  the  path  became  so  narrow  that  they 
had  to  prick  them  from  behind   to  make  them  move  forward   with 

77 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


their  burdens.  Amid  these  difficulties  Francois  suffered  most.  He 
urged  his  pony  at  the  mire,  and  promptly  tumbled  into  the  river. 
Knowing-  full  well  he  would  get  no  sympathy  from  us,  he  bore  him- 
self with  offended  dig- 
nity, much  enhanced 
by  the  lamentable 
state  of  his  once  showy 
velvet  boots,  and 
oravelv  climbin<'"  on 
to  his  little  grey  was 
presently  trotting 
ahead  in  search  of  a 
camping  ground.  We 
succeeded  at  length, 
without  much  knowing 
how,  in  reaching  an 
insignificant  Chinese 
village,  where  two 
scanty  rooms  were 
grudgingly  assigned 
us  after  prepayment. 
However,  a  proper 
bath  soon  made 
amends  for  the  April 
fool's  washing  we  had 
already  undergone. 


Francois. 


As  the  rain  was  over  1  sallied  out  to  investigate,  and  hard  b)- 
came  to  a  large  tree  in  a  hollow,  with  a  small  altar  at  its  foot.  The 
platform  was  supported  by  uprights  and  cross  pieces,  and  at  its 
sides    were    arranged    some    peeled    Avands,    with    a  bamboo    trellis 

78 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

against  the  trunk  ;  the  whole  structure  being  thoroughly  Laotian. 
As  I  surveyed  this  mark  of  reverence  to  some  woodland  deity,  my 
thoughts  reverted  to  a  like  worship  paid  by  our  ancestors,  the  Gauls, 
to  the  eenii  of  the  forests.  It  is  not  one  of  the  least  interesting 
studies  of  the  traveller  to  trace  thus  among  the  savage  races  of 
to-day  the  past  history  of  people  now  advanced  in  civilisation.  By 
self-same  paths  our  forefathers  set  out.  Here,  separated  by 
thousands  of  years  and  hundreds  of  leagues,  one  could  detect  a 
common  starting-point  for  races  of  mankind  dissimilar  in  manners 
as  in  feature.  Might  we  not  look  to  find  as  we  journeyed  west- 
ward away  from  China  proper  and  penetrated  the  abodes  of 
men  still  more  remote  from  the  fringe  of  civilisation, — ^just  as  in 
the  islands  north  of  Japan  or  in  the  higher  latitudes  of  Siberia, — 
habits  and  scenes  from  the  iron  epoch,  nay,  even  from  the  age 
of  stone  .  .   .  ? 

A  tedious  gradual  ascent  and  the  crossing  of  a  spur  led  us  on 
the  2nd  (April)  to  the  edge  of  the  basin  of  the  Mekong  River.  A 
deep  valley  lay  at  our  feet,  but  in  the  swathing  mist  it  seemed  to 
our  eyes  one  vast  void.  Our  men  showed  an  inclination  to  stop 
short  at  a  village  on  the  pretext  that  there  was  not  another  for 
twenty  miles,  but  we  made  them  proceed  :  a  roof  of  stars  was  pre- 
ferable to  a  grimy  shelf  It  was  not  until  6.30  p.m.  that  we  came 
in  touch  of  water,  and  by  it  pitched  our  tent.  Later,  Briffaud  and 
the  "  Doctor,"  as  Roux  had  been  dubbed  at  Tonkin,  employed 
themselves  by  the  light  of  an  opium  lamp,  which  we  used  to 
economise  candles,  in  working  out  our  longitude  by  an  observation 
of  the  moon  and  Jupiter.  We  had  to-day  accomplished  three 
hundred  and  twelve  miles  of  exploration.  We  could  not  have 
guessed  at  Manhao  that  we  should  reach  Ssumao  by  an  entirely 
new    route.       Our  journey  had  thus  had  unforeseen   development, 

79 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


and  by  continuing  in  the  same  way  we  might  hope  to  accomplish 
ofood  results. 

All  the  next  day  we  were  descending  into  the  valley,  the  base  of 
which  could  be  seen  to  be  cultivated  with  rice  and  tobacco  by  Pais. 
In  the  evening  (3rd  April)  we  celebrated  the  five-hundredth 
kilometre    by    a   great  feast,    washed   down    by    Sparkling   Rivulet 


'^i 


^.F^  / 


/>-^ 


Halt  of  our  Men. 

and  Old    Crusted    Pump,   and    crowned    by   coffee   and   cigars.      A 

grand  concert   concluded   the  proceedings,  and  we   felt  almost  like 

home.      Before  turning  in  we  had  a  long  moonlight  chat ;  plans  were 

discussed,  maps  brought  out,  and  books  consulted  ;  our  imagination 

spanned  valleys  and  overleaped  mountains  in  the  Far  West  of  our 

hopes  ;  and  lest  we  should  lose  the  least  portion  of  our  airy  dreams, 

sleep  stole  upon  us  as  we  talked. 

80 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

Upon  the  4th  (April)  we  crossed  the  river,  successfully 
accomplished,  and  enlivened  by  a  difference  between  Chantzeu 
(Roux's  man)  and  his  steed,  which  ended  in  the  quadruped  having 
the  last  word.  Chantzeu  led  off  by  selecting  the  deepest  spot  in  the 
stream  ;  the  horse,  after  nearly  losing  its  footing,  refused  the 
opposite  bank,  and  bore  its  rider  back  to  the  starting-point.  Again 
they  crossed,  and  again  fell  out ;  this  time  Chantzeu  came  off  in  mid- 
stream, and  got  a  most  desirable  ducking.  But  his  blood  was  now 
up,  and  he  started  to  drag  his  recalcitrant  mount  behind  him.  It 
was  no  good  :  neither  blows  nor  kicks  nor  a  litany  of  "  malepis  " 
availed  ;  and  it  was  only  by  the  intervention  of  the  others  that  the 
unvanquished  combatants,  a  queer  conglomerate  of  two  creatures, — 
I  had  almost  said  beasts, — with  but  half  a  brain  between  them,  were 
towed  across  together  on  the  same  bridle. 

We  breakfasted  in  the  midst  of  a  charming  landscape.  Pine-clad 
hills  stood  round  in  a  semicircle,  with  villages  clinging  to  their 
curves.  On  the  mound  where  we  were  a  grove  protected  a  hut, 
within  which  was  an  altar  built  of  three  upright  stones  upon  a  bank 
of  earth.  Feathers  of  fowls,  and  bamboo  tubes  containing  half- 
burnt  joss-sticks,  were  stuck  before  it,  relics  of  a  former  sacrifice. 
This  little  temple  was  probably  the  common  property  of  the 
several  hamlets  in  sight.  The  situation  was  a  fine  one,  and  as 
much  by  its  position  as  by  its  surroundings  reminded  me  of  the 
locality  in  the  outskirts  of  Hue,  where  may  be  seen  the  wonderful 
tombs  of  the  Emperors  of  Annam.  This  pleasant  scenery  continued 
on  the  morrow  ;  the  mountains,  bare  on  their  eastern,  were  wooded 
on  their  western  slopes,  with  a  stunted  growth  of  gnarled  trees,  like 
oak  and  chestnut,  on  the  heights,  and  a  ranker,  semi-tropical 
vegetation  of  curtained  creepers  in  the  torrent  beds  below.  We 
rested    for    the    night    in    Po-tso,    an    attractive    place,    where    the 

F  81 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

buildings  were  new  and  cleanly.  The  chief  industry  of  its  Chinese 
occupants  was  the  making  of  the  spirit  called  "  tchaotiou  "  of  rice 
or  barley,  so  that  a  mild  exhilaration  soon  displayed  itself  among 
our  men.  In  rear  of  the  village  was  a  clearing,  planted  with 
cabbage,  lettuce,  turnips,  fennel,  and  pumpkins,  the  soil  in  many 
cases  being  propped  by  horizontal  tree  trunks  or  hollow  bamboo 
stems,  which  also  served  as  aqueducts.  The  side  walks  were 
shaded  by  palms,  pomegranates,  bananas,  and  orange  -  trees, 
carefully  tended.  The  Chinese  certainly  are  first  -  rate  market- 
gardeners. 

On  the  6th  (April)  Ssumao  was  reported  as  only  twenty-four 
miles  distant.  I  therefore  sent  on  Francois  and  the  makotou, 
nothing  loth,  to  secure  quarters.  Our  mafous  were  ready  to  be  off 
by  8.15  a.m., — a  treat  to  behold, — mules  saddled,  packs  corded,  and 
no  useless  palaver ;  our  roles  were  reversed, — it  was  they  who 
hurried  us  now.  One  day  more,  and  then  pay,  brandy,  opium,  and 
leisure  to  enjoy  their  dissipation.  From  the  number  of  basket- 
laden  peasants  we  met  in  the  course  of  our  approach  to  the  town,  it 
must  have  been  market-day ;  buffaloes  there  were,  too,  swinging 
wooden  bells  with  outside  clappers  like  those  in  Laos.  The  region 
here  seemed  to  be  warmer,  and,  besides  the  commoner  rice  and 
scented  white  rhododendron,  aloes  reappeared,  which  we  had  not 
seen  since  our  entry  into  the  province  of  Yunnan. 

At  a  turn  of  the  road  Ssumao  came  in  sight.  Instinctively  we 
drew  a  deep  breath  as  we  saw  stretched  before  us  a  wide  plain, 
such  as  we  last  looked  on  at  Mongtse,  in  the  centre  of  which  the 
town  rose  on  a  gentle  acclivity.  A  haze  hung  over  it,  through 
which  an  indistinct  impression  was  received  of  white  walls,  grey 
roofs,  and  darker  verdure,  with  detached  pagodas  amid  groves  of 
large  trees  upon  the  summit.      Between  us  and  the  town  lay  spread 

82 


FROM  MONGTSE  TO  SSUMAO 

the  accustomed  graveyard,  with  little  mounds  like  molehills,  and 
here  and  there  a  single  column  ;  not,  as  in  the  capital,  a  forest 
of  upright  stones.  We  followed  a  path  through  level  rice-fields 
and  narrow  dikes,  and  presently  arrived  at  our  rest-house  in  the 
suburbs. 


83 


CHAPTER    III 

SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

Stay  at  Ssumao — Civility  of  the  Mandarin — Troubles  with  our  Men— We  start  for  the 
West— Mules  Stolen— Among  the  Pais— The  Mekong— The  Lochais— Dayakeu- 
Theft  of  Roux's  Baggage— Disappearance  of  Nam— Lolo  Dances — Roux's  Digression 
on  the  Mekong  Right  Bank— Crossing  of  the  S^-kiang— The  Pou  Mas— Linguen,  a 
Pretty  \'alley— Near  the  Sahven  Basin— Stop  at  Mienning — Ruse  of  our  Followers— 
The  Makotou  Stabbed— Chinese  Character— Mong-Ma— Dismissal  of  Francois— A 
Mutiny  Averted— Yunchou— Elephants— Chunning-Fou— Bridge  over  the  Mekong- 
Valley  of  the  Vang-pi— Plain  of  Meng-hua-ting— Lake  of  Tali  (Er'hai)— Arrival  at 
Tali-Fou. 

We  remained  at  Ssumao  four  days,  undergoing  rather  than 
enjoying  a  well-earned  rest  for  man  and  beast,  in  about  as  in- 
different a  lodging  as  was  possible.  It  was  a  kind  of  caravanserai 
composed  of  a  series  of  courts  round  a  centre  block  containing 
a  number  of  cells  all  on  the  ground  floor.  The  first  night  I 
occupied  a  corner  one,  the  walls  of  which  were  literally  crenelated 
by  rats,  who  performed  such  a  saraband  and  squeaking  concert 
over  and  around  my  body  that  I  was  fairly  driven  to  take  refuge 
with  Roux,  who  had  only  a  few  rovers,  and  those  of  more  respect- 
ful manners.  Yet  this  was  the  best  hostelry  in  the  town ;  and, 
by  a  curious  coincidence,  two  other  Europeans  had,  we  were  told, 
only  left  it  the  day  previous.  These  were  a  couple  of  Englishmen, 
one  an  officer :  from  all  the  information  we  could  gather  they 
seemed   to  have  travelled   from    Burmah,    and    to   be   returning  as 

84 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

they  had  come,  by  Puchi  Fou  and  Tali.  This  news  reUeved  us 
greatly,  as  a  dread  took  us  lest  we  should  have  been  forestalled 
in  our  projected  route.  None  the  less  did  it  behove  us  to  press 
forward, — explorers  were  already  increasingly  common  in  Yunnan  ; 
it  was  a  race  between  French  and  English,  and  an  eager  rivalry 
had  arisen  even  among  Frenchmen  themselves.  The  field  of  the 
unknown  grew  daily   narrower,    and  blank  spaces   were    vanishing 


Street  in  Ssumao. 


with  remarkable  rapidity.  Hitherto  we  might  congratulate  our- 
selves :  we  had  filled  in  the  first  portion  of  our  work,  and  that  in 
a  country  declared  by  the  English  to  be  impracticable.  Colquhoun 
had  written  that,  notwithstanding  the  promise  of  his  inception,  he 
could  not  advance  from  INIanhao  by  the  right  bank  of  the  Song- 
Coi;  while,  according  to  Bourne,  the  district  which  we  had  just 
traversed  was  without  any  means  of  communication.      This  state- 

85 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

ment  is  erroneous.      Roads  abound — the  most  insignificant  village 
is  connected  with  the  one  next  to  it. 

No  sooner  were  we  rested,  therefore,  than  we  longed  to  be 
off.  Except  in  the  outskirts,  where  we  picked  up  commercial 
information,  there  was  little  to  repay  inspection  in   Ssumao  itself. 


Pagoda  in  Ssumao. 

Most  Chinese  towns  are  alike, — the  same  shops,  the  same  trades, 

the  same  alleys  with  their  wooden  signs,  and   pagodas  displaying 

hideous    dragons.       There    was    no    CTettino-   about    in    the    streets 

without    a    loafing    retinue,    and    no   remaining    indoors    without    a 

crowd  of  idle  gapers.      Drive  them  out  with  a  stick  at  one  door  and 

they  flowed  in  again  at  another,  to  the  sore  trial  of  one's  temper. 

86 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

In  the  confined  space  in  which  we  were  cooped  up,  the  germs 
of  various  minor  maladies  contracted  en  route  began  to  declare 
themselves,  and  rheumatism,  neuralgia,  headache,  and  general  slack- 
ness prevailed ;  while,  in  proportion  as  the  moving  accidents  of 
travel  were  lacking,  difficulties  assumed  exaggerated  shape,  and  a 
mild  form  of  nostalgia  succeeded  to  the  excitement  of  the  road. 
But  man  proposes  and — in  China — man  also  disposes.  To  our 
followers  this  was  a  paradise  which  they  were  in  no  hurry  to  quit. 
Luckily  our  relations  with  the  local  magnate  were  so  cordial  as 
to  console  us  in  some  measure  for  the  delay.  He  was  a  well- 
educated  mandarin  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Chanof-hai,  and 
gave  us  every  attention  and  help  in  his  power,  from  which  we 
derived  considerable  benefit  both  then  and  after. 

We  got  but  little  information  out  of  the  natives  of  the  district. 
A  Lolo  brought  me  a  manuscript  which  he  could  read  but  not 
interpret,  being,  as  he  averred,  a  treatise  in  an  obsolete  dialect  on 
religious  subjects.  I  engaged  this  villager  to  write  me  some 
modern  Lolo  ;  and  a  young  Chinese,  who  had  brought  two  packets 
of  tea  as  a  gift,  with  a  request  that  we  should  remove  a  swelling 
from  his  neck,  offered  himself  as  intermediary  and  scribe.  He 
wrote  down  some  words  in  Chinese  which  he  then  read  to  the 
native,  who  in  turn  rendered  them  into  the  Lolo  language  and 
characters.  By  this  means  I  obtained  an  interesting  document. 
It  was  a  common  appeal  among  these  folk  that  we  should  cure 
them  of  various  complaints,  chiefly  of  the  interior.  My  usual 
advice  was — give  up  smoking  opium,  first  of  all.  This  was  enough 
for  my  patients. 

April  the  iith  was  finally  fixed  for  the  start.  The  makotou 
and  the  mafous,  in  supplication  for  the  road,  made  votive 
offerings  to   Buddha  in  the  shape   of  a  fowl,  a  pig's  head,   a    jar 

87 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of  tchaotiou,  and  joss-sticks.  The  joss-sticks  duly  burned,  while 
Buddha,  like  Don  Caesar  de  Bazan  behind  the  bars,  was  only 
regaled  by  proxy.      But  the  men  made  good  cheer. 

At  the  last  moment,  of  course,  difficulties  cropped  up  to 
retard  us.  First,  a  squabble  between  the  makotou  and  the 
innkeeper  over  a  sixpence,  which  I  left  them  to  settle.  Then 
a  more  serious  difference  arose  in  our  own  ranks.  Some  time 
previously  one  of  our  fellows,  a  Mussulman,  openly  denounced 
Frangois  to  me  for  peculation.  The  disclosure  had  fanned  the 
interpreter's  existing-  hatred  of  the  followers  of  the  Prophet,  and, 
notwithstanding  that  the  man  was  a  willing  hand,  he  demanded 
that  I  should  summarily  dismiss  "the  despiser  of  pork,"  on  the 
ground  that  he  smoked  opium.  This  was  frivolous,  seeing  that 
they  all  shared  the  vice.  A  violent  altercation  ensued  between 
Franqois,  the  makotou,  and  the  Houi  Houi  (Mussulman),  in  the 
course  of  which  the  last  named  vigorously  and  publicly  landed 
one  of  his  tormentors  a  punch  on  the  head,  and  the  other  a 
kick  behind.  These  straightway  fled  to  me  with  their  dishonour, 
and  declared  themselves  irreparably  insulted,  and  unable  to  proceed. 
Having  witnessed  the  whole  scene,  our  sympathies  were  all  with 
the  spirited  Mussulman,  who  had  only  given  two  rogues  their 
due  ;  but  we  could  hardly  dispense  with  the  interpreter.  Luckily, 
the  porter  solved  our  embarrassment  by  himself  requesting  his 
discharge.  We  found  that,  on  the  purchase  of  a  couple  of  mules 
here  for  a  hundred  and  thirty  taels,  Francois  and  the  makotou  had 
pocketed  thirteen  taels  as  commission  ;  and  similar  jobbery  went  on 
in  other  matters.  To  be  robbed  with  our  eyes  open  seemed  inevit- 
able :  we  could  get  on  ourselves  without  these  knaves,  but  what 
sort    of    information    could    we    hojje    to    extract   without    them    in 

this  wretched  country ! 

88 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 


However,  we  got  off  at  last  with  a  brace  of  soldiers  lent 
us  by  the  mandarin  to  carry  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  the 
village  chiefs.  Four  routes  led  to  the  Mekong ;  we  chose  that 
going  most  directly  westward,  leaving  our  northing  to  be  made 
more  gradually.  On  quitting  the  plain  of  Ssumao  we  entered  a 
pretty  country,  where  the  sun's  rays  lit  up  hills  covered  with  pine 
clumps    and    valleys    fully    cultivated,    and    the    air   was    fresh  and 


White  Rocks  in  Valley. 

cool   on   green  lawns.       The    first    night   out    we    slept    beneath    a 

pagoda,    defaced    with    plaster    deities    grotesquely    streaked,    and 

seeming  in  vain    to   assay  our  terrors  with  their  threefold    regard. 

What    a    miserable    conception    the    Chinese    have    made    of   their 

pantheon  !     It    is    hard    to    comprehend    how  they  have    distorted 

the  fine  ideas  of  Buddha  by  representations  that  are    nothing  but 

shameful,  repellent,  and  debased. 

89 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Half  the  next  day  was  spent  in  the  search  for  some  of  our 
best  mules,  stolen  during  the  night.  We  blamed  the  makotou, 
and  the  makotou  blamed  us  ;  but  we  only  recovered  one  whose 
legs  were  hobbled,  with  the  slender  satisfaction  of  sending  back 
the  soldiers  to  report  the  theft  to  the  mandarin  at  Ssumao. 

In  the  evening  of  the  13th  (April)  we  sighted  a  high  range 
of  terraced  limestone  cliffs  with  long  crests  broken  into  isolated 
peaks,  cones,  and  spurs,  amid  a  sea  of  pines ;  a  wild  chaos  of 
piled  rock  like  that  which  strikes  the  eye  of  the  traveller  in 
the  Kai-Kinh,  between  Phu-lang-tuon  and  Langson.  We  doubled 
the  chain,  and  halted  in  a  Pai  village.  The  scenery  we  were 
in  was  strange.  Imagine  a  devil's  punch -bowl,  wide  and  deep, 
the  green  centre  embossed  with  grey  stones  and  shadowy  pines, 
while  its  sides  were  lined  with  tasselled  lianas  and  clinging  plants. 
The  vegetation,  which  was  thick  and  soft  below,  changed  as 
it  reached  the  ridge,  and  took  the  ruder  character  of  its  sur- 
roundings. Gaunt  rocks  thrust  forth  white  and  naked  heads, 
detached  yuccas  lifted  their  broomstick  tufts  against  the  sky- 
line ;  aloes  and  hundred-handed  cacti  roughened  the  rim.  The 
impenetrable  bush  harboured  many  wild  animals  —  stags,  roe- 
buck, bears,  and  they  picked  up  and  showed  us  the  horn  of 
a  goat. 

The    inhabitants     told    of    a    grotto     hard     by,    which     is     the 

object  of  pilgrimages   from   Ssumao  and   Pou-eul-Fou.     We  found 

it  a  deep  excavation  in  the  limestone  hill.     A  small  chamber  at  its 

mouth  served  as  a  residence  for  two  guardians,  whence  descended 

a    stair    into    a    spacious    hall    in    which    were    two    very    ordinary 

pagodas    with    yellow    hangings,     scented    joss-sticks,     and    some 

sufficiently   vile    and   many-coloured  statuettes  of  Buddha.       With 

a  torch  we  were  led  into  an  inner  cave,  which  contained  a  number 

90 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

of  rather  fine  stalactites,  like  organ  pipes.  The  Chinese,  who 
make  marvels  of  mites,  see  gods  in  these,  before  which  Franqois 
failed  not  to  prostrate  himself.  Some  certainly  bore  a  distant 
resemblance  to  dragons  and  elephants,  and  one  was  curious  as 
producing  a  hollow  sound  when  struck.  The  guide  spared  us 
none  of  these  prodigies,  so  that  we  gained  the  upper  air  with  relief. 
No  doubt  it  is  an  interesting  cavern,  but  not  to  be  compared 
with  those  of  Laos  and  Pakai  below  Luang-Prabang. 

In  the  evening-  the  villao-ers,  exultant  in  the  violent  death 
of  a  pig,  danced  before  us.  The  performers,  four  in  number, 
joined  hands  and  alternately  contracted  and  expanded  in  a  circle, 
afterwards  separating  as  in  a  quadrille.  Their  movements  were 
supple,  and  in  cadence  to  a  double-stringed  guitar.  The  women 
remained  as  spectators.  They  had  a  different  dress  to  any  we 
had  before  seen,  being  of  a  horizontally  striped  material  wound 
round  the  figure  for  petticoat,  with  a  short  loose  jacket  fastened 
at  the  side,  and  a  large  turban  crossed  in  front,  something  after 
the  fashion  of  the  Alsatian  knot,  and  falling  in  flaps  behind. 
The  lobe  of  the  ear  was  pierced  with  a  large  wooden  spindle. 
These  little  Pai  ladies  with  their  pale  tinge  were  less  unattractive 
than  the  Chinese  ;  Sao,  at  least,  found  them  more  to  his  taste ; 
but  to  us  they  were  very  wild.  The  evening  ended  in  song. 
The  troubadour  wailed  in  falsetto,  imitating  a  woman,  beginning 
each  strophe  with  a  high  note  which  gradually  died  away ;  then, 
a  pause,  and  da  capo.     After  a  bit  it  was  monotonous. 

On  the  15th  (April)  we  were  fairly  in  Pai  country.  The  people 
said  they  came  here  many  years  back  from  the  vicinity  of  Yiinnan- 
Sen.  It  was  curious  to  meet  here,  as  among  the  Lolos,  with  folk 
who  had  come  from  the  north  and  east,  rolled  back  by  the  Chinese 
into  the  refuge  of  the  mountains  of  Yunnan,  which  seems  to  have 

91 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

been  for  many  of  the  native  races  what  Thibet  has  proved  to  certain 
animals — an  asylum  rather  than  a  creative  centre. 

At  Long-tang,  the  next  evening's  halt,  we  found  the  village  en 
fete  for  the  marriage  of  the  toussou's  daughter.  We  made  ourselves 
at  home  in  a  pagoda,  a  regular  Laos  temple  with  pointed  wooden 
roof,  red  pillars,  and  door  garnished  with  gold  and  silver  arabesques. 
The  interior  exhibited  the  votive  table,  bronze  candlestick,  and 
altar  with  marble  or  gilt  Buddhas  draped  in  yellow  under  large 
umbrellas.  Behind  the  gods  were  three  stone  cones  stained  red, 
and  in  a  corner  the  chair  whence  the  priests  spoke.  Banners, 
scarves,  and  streamers  with  long  inscriptions  overhung  the  platform. 
The  night  in  this  abode  of  sanctity  was  marred  by  the  devotions  of 
the  rats,  which  left  us  not  a  moment's  peace.  Nor  were  they  the 
only  nuisance  in  Long-tang.  Contrary  to  our  experience  among 
the  Laotians,  the  inhabitants,  steeped  in  copious  libations,  became 
more  inquisitive  and  familiar  than  was  pleasant.  They  were  of  an 
individual  type,  and  nowhere  in  China  proper  had  we  met  with  such 
independence  of  manner.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  presence  of  the 
men  of  our  own  troop,  we  should  not  have  known  we  were  within 
the  Celestial  empire. 

As  in  Laos,  the  bonzes  were  distinguished  by  a  long  yellow  toga, 
shaved  heads,  and  a  string  of  beads  in  their  hands.  The  laity  wore 
their  hair  in  a  knot  at  the  back  or  side  of  the  head,  with  or  without 
a  cotton  turban  of  red  or  yellow  design.  The  queue  was  discarded 
as  a  mark  of  emancipation.  Almost  every  man  we  met  was  tattooed 
in  blue  from  the  waist  to  the  knee,  so  thickly  as  to  give  the  appear- 
ance of  pantaloons.  Others,  like  the  Burmese,  had  figures  or 
dragons  in  red,  enclosed  within  a  rectangular  pattern,  on  the  breast. 
In  physiognomy  their  eyes  were  straight,  complexion  bronzed,  fore- 
head slightly  prominent,  lower  part  of  the  face  shapely,  with  small 

92 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

mouth,  and  here  and  there  a  moustache  or  scanty  whiskers  ;  but  the 
Hps  were  thick  and  the  teeth  blackened.  Betel  chewing  was  the 
fashion.  They  were  clothed  in  a  short  vest  and  either  wide  blue 
and  white  trousers  down  to  the  feet,  ornamented  with  blue,  red,  or 
yellow  stripes,  or  simple  blue  woollen  drawers.  All  had  the  lobe  of 
the  ear  pierced  and  enlarged  as  a  receptacle  for  flowers,  or  dried 
leaves,  which  served  them  as  cigarette  papers.  There  were  also  a 
few  large  hats  of  soft  straw  to  be  seen.  Many  displayed  from  a 
vest  button  or  the  ear  a  thin  silver  disc  with  Chinese  characters, 
presents  from  the  military  mandarin  at  Ssumao  to  the  soldiers  of  the 
toussou.  An  unusual  thing  about  the  houses  of  this  place  was  that, 
instead  of  being  on  piles,  as  is  customary  among  the  Pais,  the  walls 
rested  upon  the  earth  and  the  half  cone  roofs  of  russet  thatch 
descended  to  within  three  feet  of  the  ground.  They  looked  like 
molehills  or  an  African  village. 

Taking  a  turn  by  the  banks  of  the  river,  where  the  women  were 
bathing  as  on  the  Mekong,  I  met  our  escort  returning  from  Ssumao, 
without  the  mules.  They  brought  a  line  from  the  mandarin  dis- 
suading us  from  going  among  the  tribes  of  the  Mekong,  where,  he 
said,  we  should  encounter  sickness  and  robbers.  This  terrible 
prospect  caused  Francois  to  spit  blood  and  tremble.  In  the  evening 
we  had  to  open  a  consulting-room  for  the  folk  who  flocked  to  us 
even  from  a  distance  for  remedies.  Besides  the  villagers,  our  own 
men  were  suffering  from  a  variety  of  ailments,  and  were  difficult  to 
tend.  Say  what  we  might,  they  would  not  keep  their  sores  or 
wounds  from  the  air.  Sao's  legs  being  in  a  bad  state,  we  gave  him 
some  carbolic  acid.  Presently  the  most  doleful  howls  w-ere  heard. 
He  had  thought  to  effect  a  quicker  cure  by  applying  the  acid 
undiluted  to  the  raw,  with  dire  results.  We  tried  to  alleviate 
his    anguish    with    ashes,    white    of    egg,    and    honey,    and,    after 

93 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

suffering  a  night  of  martyrdom,  he  got  better,  and  the  self-inflicted 
cauterisation  contributed  to  a  rapid  recovery. 

As  we  again  approached  the  Mekong,  present  misery  and  future 
fears  caused  several  desertions  among  the  mafous,  with  whom,  un- 
fortunately, some  of  our  effects  also  usually  disappeared.  We  experi- 
enced a  feeling  akin  to  elation  on  regaining  the  banks  of  the  great 
Asiatic  river  on  which  our  campaigns,  our  old  advanced  claims,  and 
our  explorations  have  bequeathed  so  many  rights  to  France.  With 
its  name  are  indissolubly  linked  those  of  the  dauntless  men  who  gave 
their  lives  to  establish  French  supremacy  in  its  valley,  from  Manhat, 
Lagree,  and  Massie,  down  to  the  unknown  heroes  of  the  Thibet 
Mission.  Athwart  its  waves  that  rolled  their  waters  from  the  far 
Thibetan  snows,  my  mind's  eye  caught  the  three  colours  of  our  flag  ; 
and  there  arose  before  me  the  record  of  conquest  in  all  its  steps. 
First,  the  acquisition  of  Cochin  China  in  the  south  ;  the  rule  of  the 
admirals  ;  then  the  advance  northwards  into  the  interior  ;  the  ex- 
plorations ;  the  mighty  task  begun  by  Lagree  and  ended  by  Garnier  ; 
with  the  excursions  of  Manhat,  Harmand,  N^ris,  and  how  many 
others!  Possessions  increased;  the  Indo-Chinese  empire  was 
created  ;  Annam  was  placed  under  our  protectorate ;  and  whilst  we 
let  Upper  Burmah  escape  us  in  the  west,  in  the  east  our  troops 
sealed  the  work  of  Jean  Dupuy  by  giving  us  Tonkin.  In  face 
of  England's  ever-growing  appetite,  Jules  Ferry  made  certain  re- 
servations relative  to  the  Mekong  valley  ;  but  years  passed,  and  the 
territory  which  statesmen  had  acquired  was  like  to  be  lost  again. 
Backed  by  the  English,  Siam  stood  at  the  door  of  Hue,  whilst  tracts 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong  were  counterclaimed  by  the  English 
Foreign  Office.  Our  timorous  diplomacy,  clogged  by  the  fear  of 
complications,  seemed  unable  to  grasp  the  situation.  It  needed  a 
death  like  Massie's,  or  a  bold  stroke,  such  as  that  of  Commander 

94 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

Bary,  to  arouse  the  apathy  of  the  Ouai  d'Orsay.  The  Siamese 
troops  were  dislodged,  and  the  idea  of  a  buffer  State  was  abandoned. 
We  have  made  an  end  of  backsHdinor. 

A  diplomatic  victory  has  been  gained  ;  we  must  guard 
against  an  industrial  defeat.  Our  neighbours,  who  know  full 
well  that  railways  are  the  means  of  real  colonisation,  think  to 
establish  a  line  running  from  Mandalay  in  the  direction  of  Xien- 
hong  (Kiang-Hung).  Nay  more,  the  first  rails  have  been  laid. 
It  imports  us  to  retort  to  this  new  move  of  England  with  a  similar 
one  of  our  own  ;  and  to  this  end  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  us 
also  to  have  a  railway  penetrating  China.  We  have  a  long 
lead  in  the  matter  of  position  ;  but  again  I  repeat,  beware  of 
the  fable  of  the  hare  and  the  tortoise.  It  is  impossible  to 
forecast  the  future.  But  a  moment  may  be  predicted  when  the 
framework  of  China  will  fall  to  pieces,  and  then,  —  first  come 
first  served,  —  those  that  have  the  best  perfected  scheme  of 
communication  will  win. 

With  these  and  similar  reflections  I  solaced  the  period  of 
delay  until  the  whole  caravan  arrived.  We  then  set  about  crossing 
the  Mekong  at  Notcha  Tian-pi,  which  was  effected  by  relays  in 
two  ferry-boats  55  feet  by  6i  feet,  and  was  rendered  arduous  by 
the  height  of  the  freeboard,  which  called  for  jumping  qualities 
in  the  mules,  which  all  did  not  possess.  The  craft  were 
managed  by  two  sweeps  23  feet  long — one  in  the  stern  like  a 
rudder,  worked  by  three  men ;  the  other  athwartships  forward, 
with  seven  men  on  it. 

The  river  here  ran  at  the  base  of  steep  hills,  between  shores 
of  sandstone  and  quartz,  on  which  I  once  more  noted  the  pretty 
dwarf  palm,  like  the  sycas,  though  with  more  delicate  leaves, 
that  I  had  observed  in   Upper  Tonkin.     The  depth  was  consider- 

95 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


able,  for  the  boatmen  could  not  touch  bottom,  the  current 
running  two  knots  an  hour ;  but  both  above  and  below  there 
were  rapids  of  far  greater  strength.  Its  breadth  at  the  time  of 
our  crossing  (i8th  April)  varied  from  119  yards  to  162  yards. 
In  the  rains  there  is  a  rise  of  upwards  of  39  feet,  and  its  width 
then  must  be  over  200  yards.     The  water  was  cold,   66°'2   Fahr., 


Liiibarkalion  of  Mules  at  Notcha  Tian-pi. 

whilst    the    shade    temperature    of   the    air    stood    at    95°.       I    had 

remarked    this  chill   before,    when   comparing  its   waters    at    Pakai 

with  those  of  the  Nam  Ou. 

At    Notcha    Tian-pi    there   was    a    little    Chinese    post    for    the 

customs  on  tea  coming  from  the   right  bank,    Mong-hai,   Mong-se, 

and  Mong-yang  ;    duty,  one    to    two  "tens"  the  hundred  Chinese 

96 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

kilos.  The  officials  told  us  the  rapids  precluded  any  down-stream 
traffic,  but  that  there  were  sixteen  points  of  crossing  between 
this  and  Tali  above,  and  one  a  day's  march  below,  at  Kang- 
tang,  for  Manga-nan. 

There  were  plenty  of  fish  in  the  river  and  animals  on  shore  ; 
among  the  latter,  report  spoke  of  a  wild  mule  with  short  horns. 
I  fancy  this  to  have  been  the  nemorrhcEdus,  which  we  had 
already  heard  of  at  Ta-tsien-lou,  under  the  description  of  the 
"rock  ass";  but  the  delay  of  at  least  a  week  on  the  chance  of 
obtaining  a  skin  did  not  allow  of  our  verifying  it.  Peacocks 
and  green  paroquets  were  numerous,  though  I  did  not  recognise 
any  more  of  the  pretty  palceornis  derbyanis  so  frequent  around 
Batang. 

The  Laotian  name  Mekong  was  naturally  unknown  to  the 
natives  ;  the  river  in  this  part  of  Yunnan  bearing  the  generic 
designation  of  Ta-kiang,  or  "great  stream."  At  each  point  where 
we  touched  it  we  met  with  a  separate  title,  commonly  made 
by  adding  the  suffix  "  kiang "  to  the  name  of  the  spot  of 
crossing  ;  thus,  here,    Kiou-lan-kiang. 

Being  now  upon  the  right  bank,  we  entered  the  Lochai  Sing 
(mountain  of  the  Lochais).  A  few  years  ago  these  people  were 
at  war  with  the  Chinese,  though  now  reported  quiet,  and  subject 
to  the  Tcheuping-ting,  or  mandarin  of  Tcheuping,  near  Mong- 
yang.  After  a  short  stage,  on  the  19th  (April)  we  passed 
through  the  important  Chinese  village  of  Dayakeu,  where  the 
chief  would  have  constrained  us  to  stop,  and  our  makotou  and 
mafous  exhausted  every  artifice  to  the  same  end.  To  our 
surprise,  and  the  credit  of  the  Ssumao  mandarin,  be  it  recorded 
that  two  soldiers  overtook  us  here  with  our  recovered  mules 
— an  agreeable  and  singular  contrast  to  the  usual  measure  of 
G  97 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

« 

Chinese  assistance.  We  observed  in  Dayakeu  some  blocks  of 
tin  brought  from  Tcho-tchieu,  five  days  westward,  and  learned 
that  a   little  less  than  a  ton   yearly  is   disposed   of  in   this  district. 


nfflBBSK/- 


Trade    is    also    carried    on   in   blue  linen   stuff  from  Ssumao,  pipe 

tobacco    from    Canton,    and    stag    horns.       Rude    implements    for 

the    carding    of   cotton    were    likewise    met    with,    and    a    musical 

98 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

instrument    made    out    of   a   gourd,   into  which  five  bamboo  tubes 
pierced  with  holes  were  fitted. 

The  Lochais  are  a  small  race,  with  retreating  foreheads  and 
low  cast  of  countenance.  The  women  dress  in  a  long  Chinese 
robe,  divided  into  three  pleats  behind  over  trousers,  the  sleeves 
are  lined  with  red,  and  a  couple  of  red-bordered  aprons  fall  in 
front,  a  larger  above  a  smaller.  Out  of  doors  they  assume  a 
small  sleeveless  jacket,  studded  with  silver.  Their  head -gear 
is  a  large  blue  turban.  When  this  is  removed,  a  false  impression 
of  height  is  given  to  their  brows,  from  the  habit  of  shaving  the 
front  and  sides  of  the  head  like  the  Chinese. 

The  "  Doctor "  had  got  ahead  of  us  the  preceding  day,  and 
we  now  came  up  with  him  in  great  tribulation.  A  mafou,  while 
sunk  in  an  opium  sleep  beneath  a  tree,  had  allowed  the  mule 
to  stray  that  carried  all  his  notes  and  scientific  observations. 
By  this  time,  of  course,  the  chances  were  they  had  been 
pillaged,  and  must  be  recovered  at  all  costs.  Leaving  him  at 
the  spot  for  this  purpose,  we  moved  on  slowly,  and  with 
frequent  halts. 

A  wooden  bridge,  over  a  deep  and  beautiful  river,  served  as 
shelter  for  our  midday  meal.  Two  massive  diagonal  beams, 
almost  meeting  in  the  centre,  upheld  the  thatch  -  covered  way, 
to  which  a  wicket  at  either  end,  occupied  by  a  Chinese  janitor, 
lent  access  without  toll.  The  bridge,  gilded  by  the  sun.  framed 
a  lovely  picture,  where  the  water  flashed  between  grey-pointed 
rocks  and  stunted  palms,  overhung  by  the  orchid-laden  branches 
of  the  larger  trees.  Beneath  the  bank  lay  a  bamboo  raft,  on 
which  the  descent  of  the  river  could  be  made  at  flood,  in  three 
days,  to  the  Mekong.  We  threw  a  couple  of  dynamite 
cartridges   into  the  stream,    and   caught  a  number  of  fish,    to    the 

99 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

astonishment  and  delight  of  our  men  ;  it  was  pleasant  to  see  a 
little  cheerfulness  among  them  for  a  change. 

Roux  did  not  turn  up  when  we  paused  for  the  night  at 
Chian-na-liang  (?)  ;  and  now  we  missed  Nam,  who  had  lost  his 
way  between  our  two  parties.  Villagers  were  sent  out  to  scour 
the  bush.  They  styled  themselves  Lolos,  though  just  like  the 
Lochais  of  the  day  before.  We  employed  ourselves  in  watching 
one  of  them  milling  cotton,  for  which  he  used  a  contrivance 
consisting  of  two  rollers  placed  on  a  frame  before  which  he  sat. 
The  upper  was  of  wood  revolving  with  a  hand-winch,  the  under 
of  iron,  of  less  diameter,  and  made  to  rotate  at  great  speed  by 
a  treadle.  Between  them  the  cotton  fell  into  a  basket,  and  the 
seeds  remained  above. 

Before  turning  in,  I  looked  in  on  the  sleeping  quarters  of 
our  men.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  were  laid  the  materials 
for  opium-smoking — lamp,  snuffers,  and  pipe.  Francois  and  the 
makotou,  naked  to  the  waist,  reclined  with  some  Lolos  upon 
osier  stools,  and  all  were  steadily  stupefying  themselves.  In 
one  corner  a  dishevelled,  half- clad  woman  turned  her  spinning- 
wheel  with  measured  creak  ;  presently  she  desisted,  and  stretched 
herself,  with  a  baby  at  her  breast,  upon  a  plank  beneath  a  coarse 
coverlet,  while  the  men  conversed  in  low  tones  in  Chinese  or 
more  guttural  Lolo — a  strange  scene,  lit  by  some  bits  of  resinous 
wood  upon  the  ground.  From  below  came  the  chirrup  of  a 
cricket,  and  an  occasional  impatient  shake  of  a  cattle  -  bell,  that 
spoke  the  mafous  stirring  as  they  tethered  the  mules  tighter 
against  night  robbers.  Our  orders  were  strict  upon  this  head,  for 
recent  experience  had  taught  us  watchfulness. 

Next  morning,  the  21st  (April),  still  no  news  of  Nam,  and 
only  bad  of  Roux.      He  had  found  the  mule  ;  the  pack  was  gone. 

100 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

We  decided  on  a  short  stage,  to  keep  going,  as  far  as  tlie  Lolo 
village  of  La -li- chin.  Here,  before  night -fall,  to  our  no  small 
relief,  a  search-party  brought  in  poor  old  Nam,  none  the  worse 
for  his  wanderings  and  a  night  spent  in  a  tree,  save  for  the 
terror  of  panthers  and  an  empty  stomach.  For  the  following 
day  we  stayed  where  we  were,  among  an  interesting  set  of 
people.  They  said  they  were  Lolos  or  Chiantines,  settlers  here 
from  the  West  two  hundred  years  previous,  but  declared  they 
had  no  books,  and  were  not  of  the  same  stock  as  the  Lolos  who 
had.  Little  information,  religious  or  other,  could  be  got  out  of 
them,  save  that  to  the  west  there  were  the  Kawas,  the  lekawas, 
who  resembled  the  Pais.  (These  are,  probably,  Shans  or  Laotians 
of  Upper  Burmah.)  Wandering  about  their  village,  I  gradually 
overcame  their  shyness,  and  excited  their  interest  in  a  picture- 
book  of  the  Abbe  David.  They  also  recognised  the  Lady 
Amherst  pheasant,  which  they  pronounced  common  in  the  vicinity, 
and  showed  me  how  they  trapped  quail  by  means  of  a  decoy  in 
a  wicker  basket.  The  ground  is  utilised  to  the  hilltops,  and  after 
dark  the  clearing  fires  were  visible  creeping  up  the  mountain-sides. 
The  women  were  weavers  after  a  primitive  fashion  by  means  of 
a  shuttle  and  two  wooden  pedals  for  the  woof;  and  all  used  the 
familiar  spinning-wheel  of  the  country. 

At  our  request,  the  villagers  consented  to  dance  at  night, 
and  acquitted  themselves  in  more  varied  and  original  sets  than 
the  Pais.  Men  and  women  joined  in  a  circle  round  two  musicians, 
who  gave  time  and  tune  upon  their  gourd  instruments,  while  an 
old  man  regulated  the  figures  from  without.  The  movements 
were  executed  in  complete  harmony  with  the  measure :  swaying 
now  this  way,  now  that,  waving  their  arms,  poising  for  a  moment 
on    one    leg,   then,  striking    the    ground    in    cadence    all    together, 

lOI 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  ring  broke  up  into  vis-a-vis,  to  advance  and  to  retire,  or  to 
change  sides  by  intervals.  I  was  struck  by  the  uniformity  of 
the  dancers,  who  would  have  cut  a  very  respectable  figure  in 
any  western  assemblage.  They  are  passionately  fond  of  the  art, 
and  sometimes  it  takes  the  form  of  a  regular  stampede,  a  wild 
saraband  accompanied  by  cries,  but  ever  under  control  of  perfect 
time.  The  Lolos  seemed  indefatigable ;  they  could  go  on  for 
hours,  and,  like  the  generality  of  uncivilised  races,  were  naturally 
graceful  in  their  pose.  Seen  through  the  haze  of  dust  that  rose 
from  the  flitting  figures  in  the  torchlight,  the  whole  was  like  a 
magic-lantern  or  kaleidoscope. 

On  the  23rd  (April)  we  left  our  sociable  Lolos,  with  a  few 
parting  gifts.  They  refused  utterly  to  accept  any  human  like- 
ness, even  the  most  seductive  chromo-lithographs,  which  I  attribute 
to  some  superstitious  fear. 

The  same  day  Roux  happily  rejoined  us.  He  had  gained 
the  co-operation  of  the  mandarin  of  Dayakeu,  and  with  the  offer 
of  a  reward  had  the  mountain  systematically  searched  by  beating- 
parties  of  seven  men  under  leaders.  To  a  fellow  with  a  goitre 
belonged  the  honour  of  first  discovery  of  their  object,  and  the 
firing  of  guns  soon  brought  the  others  to  the  spot.  The  baggage 
was  hidden  in  the  brake.  It  was  found  intact,  save  for  one  lens 
of  the  astronomic  telescope  ;  and  great  was  our  companion's  joy, 
for  the  results  of  four  hundred  and  thirty-seven  miles  of  explora- 
tion were  involved.  All's  well  that  ends  well ;  but  to  guard 
against  a  similar  danger,  duplicates  and  tracings  were  always  made 
in  future. 

The  country  we  were  passing  through  was  tame  by  com- 
parison,  and  the  route  fair ;    hillocks  with  scrub,  and  hollows  with 

coppice    and    large    trees,    but    no    birds    or    flowers    to    note,    nor 

102 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

anything  to  break  the  tedious  monotony.  At  midday  on  the 
24th  (April)  the  "  Doctor "  again  left  us,  with  one  attendant,  for 
Mong-pan  and  Mong-ka,  down  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Mekong. 
This  few  days'  digression  would  enable  him  to  settle  several 
points  in  the  course  of  the  river. 

On   descending  from    some    higher  spurs   we   reached  a  gently 


■^^/^T- 


^  ^-''^7 


Roiix  at  Work. 

sloping  tableland,  and   the    road    became  more  frequented.       First 

we    met    a    caravan    of    cotton,    then    some    rice    grinders,    and    a 

soldier  carrying   his  sword   in    bandolier,    and  on    his    shoulder    in 

place  of  a  gun   a  bamboo,   from  the  end  of  which  dangled  a  green 

paroquet    in    a    hoop.       The     plateau    was    enclosed    by    hills    and 

bordered  by  two  ravines,  and  resembled  in  its  formation  a  glacier 

with   its   moraines.       At   the    farther   extremity   the    big    village  of 

10; 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Tachin  -  lao  hung  upon  the  edge  of  a  precipitous  gorge. 
Tachin-lao  was  surrounded  by  a  rectangular  enceinte  of  mud 
walls,  lo  feet  to  15  feet  high,  loopholed  but  not  embattled. 
Within,  the  houses  were  spacious  and  built  of  one  storey  on  a 
bamboo  framework.  As  the  majority  of  the  population  was 
Chinese,  we  were  not  a  little  surprised  that  they  held  aloof  and 
left  us  in  peace  in  our  Buddha-daubed  pagoda.  The  government 
was  in  the  joint  hands  of  a  mandarin,  who  was  a  Ting,  and  a 
toussou  for  the  Lochais. 

We  heard  that  a  few  days  before  our  arrival  an  Englishman 
had  been  here,  travelling  from  Ava  in  Burmah  towards  Mong- 
pan  and  Mong-ka.  He  was  engaged  in  marking  the  mountains 
and  rivers  like  ourselves,  and  had  been  seeking  information. 
This  must  have  been  the  same  that  was  at  Ssumao  before  us. 
Here  he  only  crossed  our  path,  and  our  route  to  the  north  was 
still,  as  we  hoped,  untouched.  Before  leaving  in  the  morning 
two  little  mandarins  dismounted  at  our  pagoda  and  entered.  An 
attendant  placed  scented  joss-sticks  before  the  three  altars  and 
spread  carpets  for  his  masters,  who  proceeded  to  prostrate  them- 
selves and  kneel,  while  a  third  personage  recited  some  prayers 
in  a  loud  voice.  This  ceremony  lasted  several  minutes,  after 
which  the  mandarins  turned  their  backs  on  their  gods  and 
settled  themselves  to  the  enjoyment  of  their  water  pipes  with 
the  air  of  men  who  had  done  their  duty. 

From  the  heiohts  which  we  now  followed  we  obtained  a  good 

view  of  the  features  of  the  landscape  about  this  part  of  the  Mekong. 

We    looked    across    a   gorge  so   deep   and  abrupt   that  its   bottom 

was    not    immediately    visible,    and    over  the    top  of  the   opposite 

ridge   on   to   a   succession   of   large   valleys   and   chains   running  in 

parallel  tiers  to  the  glen  at  our  feet.      The  aspect  of  the  country 

104 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

sufficed  to  make  us  feel  the  proximity  of  a  large  though  unseen 
body  of  water,  and  the  depression  which  we  skirted  may  be 
likened  to  the  mid-rib  of  a  leaf  from  which  the  membranes, 
here  represented  by  the  lesser  chains,  diverged.  The  left  slope 
was  sparsely  wooded  and  thinly  peopled ;  on  our  side  good- 
sized  villages  were  frequent.  We  were  still  among  the  Lochais, 
and  got  on  very  well  with  these  gentry  of  the  red-stained  teeth  ; 
at  least  Briffaud  and  I  had  no  cause  of  complaint,  save  the 
absence  of  honey,  which  the  natives  do  not  gather  at  this 
season  on  account  of  the  bees  pasturing  on  an  unwholesome 
white  flower.  The  makotou,  however,  was  found  storming  and 
weeping  and  cursing  by  turns  over  the  theft  of  his  pipe,  which 
eventually  betrayed  itself  sticking  out  of  a  bland  native's  pocket. 
The  way  these  Chinese  shed  tears  over  trifles  was  deplorable. 
They  are  perfect  babies. 

A  torrent  turned  us  down  towards  the  Mekong  again,  and  we 
touched  it  a  little  below  the  confluence  of  a  considerable  river 
called  the  S^-kiang.  The  waters  of  the  Mekong  here  ran  low 
between  sandy  shores,  varying  in  width  from  87  yards  to  twice 
that  distance,  but  rocks  marked  high  -  water  level  up  to 
217  and  even  325  yards.  The  hills  had  sunk  to  insignifi- 
cance, and  trees  stood  out  upon  them  as  thin  as  the  bristles 
on  an  elephant's  forehead.  At  sundown  we  observed  women 
from  the  villages  climbing  the  slopes  with  boughs  in  their 
hands,  like  the  moving  wood  at  Dunsinane.  Each  had  a  hollow 
bamboo  filled  with  stones  with  which  they  imitated  the  sound 
of  the  kestrel,  and  attracted  to  the  branch  numbers  of  grass- 
hoppers, which  are  here  esteemed  a  delicacy. 

On  the  28th  (April)  we  made  the  passage  of  the  Se-kiang  on 
a  triangular  raft  built  of  a  single  layer  of  bamboo.     When  loaded 

105 


FROM  TONKIN   TO  INDIA 

this  was  warped  up  stream,  and  then  let  go  diagonally  with  the 
current,  a  man  aft  checking  it  with  a  large  rectangular  paddle. 
Whilst  this  was  in  progress  I  watched  the  natives  at  break- 
fast :  the  men  ate  first  Chinese  fashion,  seated  on  stools 
round  a  wicker  table,  the  women  after,  taking  the  rice  in  their 
fingers. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  S^-kianq-  we  began  to  ascend  a<>ain. 


Rafl  on  the  Se-kian^. 

Now    that   we    were    far   from    towns,    the    mafous    were    working 

creditably.       Although    very    fair   walkers,    their    calves    were    not 

much    developed.      On    the    march    they    were  just    like    children, 

singing  and  whistling  ;   but  their  chief  joy  lay   in  the   pipe,   water 

or   ordinary,    which    they    passed    from    mouth    to    mouth.       One 

amused    us    by    persistently    flourishing    in    one    hand    an    open 

umbrella,   acquired  from   Nam   in   exchange  for  a  hat,   and  in  the 

other  a  fan,   without  preventing  his  also  bearing  his  fair  share  of 

1 06 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

the  burdens.  Our  own  boys  proved  good  body  servants :  Nam 
managed  with  only  four  hours'  regular  sleep ;  but  then  in  his 
ordinary  avocations  he  took  three  hours  over  what  anyone  else 
would  do  in  one ;  his  cooking  was  certainly  that  of  a  somnam- 
bulist. Briffaud  and  I  generally  kept  together ;  and  between 
inventing  imaginary  feasts,  singing  trooper  ditties,  and  chatting, 
in  addition  to  our  collections,  photographs,  and  notes,  we  quickly 
passed  the  miles  away. 

By  the  29th  (April)  we  were  passing  through  beautiful 
scenery,  the  country  of  the  Pou  Mas,  near  akin  to  the  Pais. 
Wayfarers  were  frequent  ;  often  we  came  upon  those  squares  of 
cut  paper  that  being  burnt  on  roadside  altars  invoked  propitious 
journeys.  Before  I  came  to  know  them  well  I  used  to  think  the 
Chinese  an  indifferent  and  sceptical  race  ;  now  they  seemed  to  me 
particularly  superstitious.  At  four  in  the  afternoon,  on  my  over- 
taking the  caravan,  I  found  it  halted.  The  old  guide  Panella 
refused  to  proceed,  and,  with  many  protestations,  tried  to  make 
us    take     back     the     mandarin's     village     letter    of     introduction. 

o 

Finding  us  obdurate,  he  laid  it  down  and  seated  himself  sadly  on 
the  grass,  whence  it  took  three  mafous  to  set  him  going  again. 
The  very  next  place  we  entered,  the  crafty  old  fox  seized  on  the 
first  young  man  he  met,  thrust  the  letter  into  his  unsuspecting 
hand,  and,  without  explanation  or  adieu,  stole  away.  His  im- 
promptu successor  led  us  to  a  small  Lochai  hamlet  on.  a  brow 
with  a  splendid  prospect.  But  the  Hotel  Bellevue,  as  we  chris- 
tened our  hovel,  afforded  little  else  but  a  feast  for  the  eyes,  and 
we  went  hungry  to  bed.  To  bed,  but  not  to  sleep ;  for  the  in- 
habitants, to  complete  their  inhospitality,  kept  on  the  prowl  the 
livelong    night,    peering    and    vanishing    and    always    crouching    as 

they  crept    about  with   their  resinous  torches,   till   we   thought   we 

107 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

had  fallen  among  gnomes  or  hobgoblins.  In  the  daylight  they 
were  less  insidious,  and  testified  the  greatest  interest  in  our  writ- 
ing and  in  the  leather  of  our  saddles.  At  the  next  Lochai 
village  the  natives  called  themselves  Lachos,  and  claimed  to  have 
been  there  ninety  years.  We  wished  we  could  have  procured  a 
specimen    of   Lochai    writing,    which   they  told   us   was   in   the   old 


Little  I'agoda  on  Hill. 


Chinese  characters  as  used  on  the  mandarins'  seals.  From 
Tamano,  a  place  about  the  same  size  as  Tachin-lao,  our  men 
began  to  step  out,  scenting  an  approach  to  Mienning  from  afar. 
Near  our  sleeping-place  we  saw  the  site  of  two  ancient  forts,  one 
said  to  date  from  a  century  back.  The  people  gave  further  inter- 
esting particulars  about  the  Lochais,  averring  that  they  came,  like 

the   Lolos,  from  near  Nang-king  ages  ago.     They  made  use  of  a 

io8 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

small  yellow  immortelle,  which  grew  in  quantities,  for  food ;  the 
flower,  leaves,  and  stalk  were  thrown  into  a  pot,  boiled  till  soft, 
and  eaten. 

Villages  became  thicker  along  the  dale  as  we  advanced.  A 
Chinese  horseman,  followed  by  a  tattered  soldier  bearing  his  pipe 
and  red  visiting-card  portfolio,  joined  us  on  the  road  and  showed 
us  the  way.  He  proved  to  be  the  chief  of  the  district  of 
Linguen.  His  voice  was  rougher  than  his  manners,  and  through 
his  instrumentality  we  enjoyed  a  degree  of  relative  comfort  in 
our  next  quarters  at  Chang-lin-gang,  to  which  we  had  long  been 
strangers. 

May  opened  propitiously  for  us  in  the  midst  of  the  most 
delightful  scenery  and  climate.  We  were  at  this  time  traversing 
a  valley  of  which  the  northern  slope  a  little  above  us  rose  in  an 
abrupt  scarp  like  a  lofty  green  wall.  The  panorama,  unfolded 
before  each  successive  eminence,  gave  us  an  admirable  idea  of  the 
lay  of  the  land.  The  Mekong  flowed  only  a  mile  or  so  away, 
on  our  right.  Between  this  valley  and  that  of  an  affluent  of  the 
Salwen  stood  a  range  of  low  hills,  and  we  were  surprised  to  find 
so  unimposing  a  barrier  between  two  such  large  neighbour  rivers. 
In  the  course  of  our  stage  on  the  2nd  (May)  to  Pochan  we 
passed  an  extensive  cemetery  in  which  all  the  tombs  lay  facing 
east,  with  their  entries  to  the  south  ;  they  had  the  appearance  of 
a  herd  of  crouching:  animals,  oreat  and  grim.  At  Pochan,  which 
is  a  large  Chinese  village  at  a  part  where  the  valley  widens 
almost  to  a  plain,  we  found  Roux  arrived  only  a  few  hours 
before  from  Tapong,  after  a  successful  excursion  among  the  Pais 
of  Mong-pan  and  Mong-ka. 

We    reached     Mienning     on     the     3rd     (May),     pitched,     like 

Ssumao,    on   rising  ground,    and   surrounded    by  grey  battlements. 

109 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Without  the  walls  fruit-trees  grew  in  abundance ;  peaches,  plums, 
pears,  and  pomegranates.  Although  the  climate  struck  us  as 
healthy,  and  the  nights  were  cool,  the  inhabitants  seemed  much 
afflicted  with  goitre. 

Disagreeable  news  awaited  us  at  this  place,  to  the  effect  that 
the  English  traveller  before  mentioned  had  already  been  here, 
coming  from  Yiinchou  by  the  way  we  had  intended  to  take. 
This   meant  that  we  must  seek  another  line. 

Our  stay  at  Mienning,  though  not  of  long  duration,  was  quite 
enough  for  our  enjoyment.  We  were  badly  housed  in  dingy  and 
stifling  quarters  under  the  eaves,  looking  out  into  a  crowded 
court.  Food  was  scarce,  and,  if  we  e.xcept  some  fair  Chinese 
fritters,  which  we  sampled  at  a  pastrycook's,  was  limited  to  pork, 
owing  to  the  prohibition  of  the  slaughter  of  oxen,  which  were 
kept  exclusively  for  labour.  The  surrounding  population  was 
mostly  Pai,  and  a  petty  village  headman  was  found  to  give  us 
directions  as  to  the  route.  He  was  no  better  than  an  old  free- 
booter, and  informed  us  that  he  had  been  a  leader  on  the  Bur- 
mese frontier,  but  that  some  English  having  been  killed  by  the 
natives,  the  regrettable  occurrence  had  been  laid  at  his  door,  and 
he  had  had  to  make  himself  scarce.  This  individual  showed  con- 
siderable local  familiarity  with  the  country ;  but  when  he  pro- 
ceeded to  discourse  further  upon  geography,  and  unfolded  a  Chinese 
map  to  assure  us  that  the  Mekong  flowed  to  Canton  and  Chang- 
hai,  we  thanked  him,  and  said  that  would  do   for  the  present. 

Actinv  on  his  instructions,  we  resolved  to  make  an  elbow  bv  the 
side  of  the  Mekong,  thus  avoiding  the  Englishman's  tracks.  The 
soldiers  lent  us  by  the  mandarin  could  not  grasp  the  idea  that  we 
were  engaged  in  "  sialon,"  nor  was  it  worth  while  to  enlist  their 
sympathy  with  the  aims  and  ambitions  of  exploration. 

I  lO 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

The  usual  difficulties  attending  a  start  were  increased  by  the 
irritating  dalliance  of  the  makotou,  whose  incessant  iteration  of  the 
words  "  mai  "  (buy)  and  "  injen  "  (money)  nearly  drove  us  mad. 
The  avarice  of  the  man  was  but  one  of  his  faults.  The  chief  part 
of  every  night  he  gave  up  to  his  besetting  vice  of  opium-smoking, 
emerging  in  the  morning  with  blear  and  swollen  eyes  to  enter  upon 
an  arduous  march,  in  which  he  would  have  to  busy  himself,  keep 
the  mules  going,  and  superintend  the  loads,  all  generally  performed 
with  an  open  sore  on  his  leg.  It  was  marvellous  what  the 
dominating  greed  of  gain  and  self-indulgence  would  enable  such 
a  being  to  carry  through  when  he  was  inevitably  approaching  the 
premature  exhaustion  of  his  vital  forces.  Franqois  and  he  were  two 
typical  real  Chinese,  and  furnished  in  daily  intercourse  a  perfect 
sample  of  what  goes  to  make  up  the  essence  of  the  Chinese 
character  in  its  few  redeeming  features,  hideous  vices,  and  in- 
surmountable failings.  It  is  narrated  of  certain  pecaris,  that  if 
a  traveller  takes  refuge  from  their  charge  in  a  tree,  they  will 
beleaguer  the  trunk  till  he  drops  among  them  from  exhaustion. 
The  Chinese  always  gave  me  the  idea  of  these  wild  boars.  To  see 
them  seated  below  us  immovable  throughout  a  whole  day,  scarce 
stirring  their  hands  save  to  fill  the  water  pipe,  or  their  jaws  to 
exchange  a  few  words,  they  seemed  doggedly  to  await  something 
from  our  hands  which  they  would  not  get.  If  one  dispersed  them, 
they  immediately  reclosed  their  ranks  as  before.  Like  as  the  people, 
such  are  their  rulers  :  what  possible  impression  can  our  diplomatists, 
using  the  methods  of  civilised  nations,  make  upon  this  gelatinous 
mass,  or  what  hold  can  be  taken  of  that  which  continuallj-  slips 
through  one's  fingers  ? 

Throughout  the  day  we  followed  the  valley  of  the  Nan-Ting-ho, 

which  forms  a  complete  basin  around  Mienning.     The  rice  swamps 

1 1 1 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

were  full  of  women  at  work,  up  to  their  waists  in  the  water,  whilst 
elsewhere  men  standing  upon  their  harrows  with  lean  legs  out- 
stretched, like  'bus  conductors,  guided  their  buffaloes  as  in  some 
ancient  Egyptian  design.  At  the  end  of  several  hours  we 
discovered  that  we  were  not  going  east  towards  Kubi-kiang,  as  we 
should  have  been,  but  were  gaily  pursuing  the  main  Yunchou 
route,  already  traversed  by  the  English  party.  The  caravan  was 
halted,  amid  the  protestations  of  the  mafous  that  they  knew  no 
other  road.  We  were  not  going  to  be  done  in  this  way — "  to  a 
Chinese,  a  Chinese  and  a  half"  Accordingly  camp  was  formed  for 
the  night  where  we  were,  and  the  clear  moonlight  among  the  rice 
and  trees  soothed  us  for  the  vexation  of  two  days  lost. 

Next  morning,  the  6th  (May),  back  on  our  tracks  almost  as  far 
as  Mienning  to  find  the  little  path.  The  makotou  was  at  his  old 
tricks  again,  but  with  Sao's  aid  his  little  game  was  unmasked.  He 
had  discharged  two  mafous  and  substituted  a  couple  of  traders, 
who,  by  smuggling  their  stuff  into  our  train,  thus  hoped  to  evade 
the  octroi  at  Tali.  There  was  no  end  to  their  chicanery,  and  our 
change  of  road  had  nicely  upset  their  calculations. 

But  retribution  of  a  different  sort  awaited  the  makotou  before 
the  day  was  out.  Scarcely  had  we  lit  our  evening  pipes  and  were 
contemplating  the  first  blue  wreaths  of  smoke,  while  the  fleas  began 
to  climb  our  supine  limbs,  when  a  hubbub  arose  among  our  men, 
who  came  running  towards  us  with  cries  of  "  makotou,  Lohiang, 
todzan  !  "  (knife).  Hastening  down,  we  found  the  makotou  bleeding 
profusely  from  several  wounds,  and  it  was  some  little  time  ere  we 
could  learn  the  facts  of  the  case.  It  will  be  remembered  that  some 
time  back  a  mafou  called  Manhao  had  been  maltreated  b)-  the 
makotou  under  the  suspicion  of  a  theft.  A  repetition  of  the  robbery 
having  just  been  traced  to  a  second  mafou  seemed  to  indicate  the 

I  12 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

latter  as  the  perpetrator  of  both  acts.  Thereupon  Manhao,  or 
Lohiang  as  he  was  equally  called,  heaping  reproaches  on  the 
makotou  for  his  former  brutality,  enforced  his  innocence  by  driving 
his  knife  into  his  persecutor  three  times,  cutting  him  up  rather 
badly  on  his  arm  and  both  legs,  though  luckily  without  touching 
an  artery.  He  then  fled.  Here  was  another  trait  of  Chinese 
character — revenge  sullenly  nursed  for  a  month  and  a  half. 

We  washed  and  dressed  the  wounds  with  antiseptics,  in  which 
operation  Sao  again  acquitted  himself  with  credit.  The  rest  of  the 
Chinese  looked  on  with  indifference,  if  not  with  satisfaction, 
notably  Francois,  who  gave  his  version  of  the  story  as  rather 
entertaining  than  otherwise.  The  callousness  of  these  fellows  for 
each  other  was  exasperating.  How  different  from  our  Turkomans 
at  Lob-Nor,  tending  old  sick  Imatou  like  a  child,  and  showing 
lively  concern  for  his  suffering ! 

The  following  morning  the  scene  was  even  more  revolting.     The 

makotou  declared  that  he  would  go  back  on  horseback  at  once,  but 

finally  yielded  with  a  bad  grace  to  my  advice  that  he  should  rest  a 

bit.     Then  he  began  about  payment.     This  man,  reduced  as  he  was 

by  fever,  found  strength  to  get  up  and  drag  himself  before  us  ;  and 

there  with   blood-smeared   face  and  legs  caked  with  gore,  propped 

against  a  pack-saddle,  he  proceeded  with  palsied  hands  to  haggle 

over    his    interests    with    such   greed    and    tenacity    as    might    have 

induced  one  to  suppose  he  had  nothing  but  a  shilling-piece  in  the 

place  where  his  heart  ought  to  be.      First  he  wanted  us  to  give  him 

the  wages  for  his  men.      For  a  long  time  past  we  had  paid  these 

direct,  in  consequence  of  his  cheating  them  :  so   that  cock  wouldn't 

fight.     Then  he  accused  them  of  being  in  his  debt.     We  made  each 

come  singly  with  an  account  of  the  sum  claimed.     But  by  this  time 

we  were  implacable  to  his  subterfuges,  and   I  verily  believe  that  if 
n  113 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

we  had  had  much  more  of  this  sort  of  work  we  should  have  learned 
to  meet  the  Chinese  upon  their  own  ground.  As  it  was,  I  was  dis- 
gusted and  tired  of  having  any  dealings  with  these  rapacious 
scoundrels,  whose  every  breath,  word,  and  thought  was  money, 
money,  money ;  from  those  who  would  see  a  comrade  wounded 
without  a  sign  of  compassion  beyond  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  down 
to  the  interpreter,  who,  at  the  makotou's  departure,  stripped  the 
very  cap  off  his  head  because  it  was  new,  and  because  "he  would 
have  no  need  of  it  now  that  he  had  ceased  to  serve  the  Tajen." 
The  Chinese  have  a  big  lesson  to  learn  from  themselves.  For  my 
own  part  1  now  knew  more  than  enough  of  them,  and  hastened  the 
time  when  we  should  get  away  from  their  sordid,  contemptible 
natures  to  live  among  lawless  savages  and  brigands,  who  at  least 
would  have  one  respectable  attribute  of  freedom  or  personal  pride. 

Having  given  the  title  and  functions  of  makotou  to  a  young  fellow 
in  the  troop  called  Lichatan,  we  resumed  our  journey,  and  passed 
the  remainder  of  the  day  climbing  the  larch  and  oak-covered  hills 
that  marked  the  interval  between  the  Mekong  and  the  Salwen 
basins.     We  camped  in  the  open. 

The  event  of  the  8th  (May)  was  the  meeting  with  a  few  sheep. 

We  had  not  seen  any  for  two  months,  and  our  stomachs  yearned 

at    the    sight.       To    point    out    a     "  p^    i    ang "     (white    sheep)    to 

Chantzeu,  strike  a  bargain  with  the  shepherd,  and  to  have  it  strapped 

on  Fa's  shoulders  was  the  work  of  no  time.     As  when  the  Ainos 

kill  a  bear  they  celebrate  the  event  and  call  it  the  Bear  Feast,  so 

we,  almost  as  hirsute  as  the   "sons  of  dogs,"  now  held  the  Feast 

of  Sheep,  and  revelled   in   the   varied  dressings    of  the    unwonted 

food,    which    we    wetted    with    Japanese    wine    and    finished    with 

coffee  and   "real   Habanas  "  of  our  own  manufacture. 

As  we  marched  next  day  still  up  the  Mekong  valley  the  track 

114 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

deteriorated  into  gravel  and  loose  stones,  among  which  the  mules 
fell  about  a  good  deal.  In  the  glittering  sands  formed  by  the 
detrition  of  the  felspar  granite  Nam  thought  he  had  found  gold, 
to  Sao's  derision  when  it  proved  but  mica.  By  midday  we  had 
ascended  to  a  narrow  terrace  on  which  we  baited.  The  packs 
were  ranged  round  the  edge  like  a  parapet,  within  which  the 
men,  mostly  stripped  to  the  waist,  bestirred  themselves  to  hang 
the  big  pot  and  the  general  tea-kettle  upon  forked  sticks  over  the 
crackling  fire,  where  presently  the  rice  began  to  bubble.  In  a 
corner  Nam  turned  a  leg  of  mutton  on  a  bamboo  spit,  and  some 
natives  with  an  offering  of  honey  sat  silent  by  watching  our 
every  movement  over  their  pipes.  The  scene  had  for  outlook 
the  whole  valley  of  the  Mekong,  with  crests  and  curves  and  pine 
woods  of  its  middle  distance  swellinof  further  to  larger  heights 
that  towered  on  the  horizon  into  a  fleecy  cloudland.  The  effect 
was  the  grander  from  the  drop  which  met  the  eye  sharp  off  our 
brink  into  the  bottom  far  below.  We  found  the  flora  richer  as 
we  advanced ;  beside  pine,  walnut,  and  peach  trees  grew  the 
plantain,  pomegranate,  and  palm,  and  on  the  trunks  of  the  hardy 
northerners  clung  that  beautiful  creeper  called  Manolerra  deliciosa, 
which  I  had  first  seen  in  Ceylon.  Birds  flew  among  the  branches, 
and  afforded  varied  subjects  to  the  collector's  gun.  We  heard  of 
peacocks  even  in  this  latitude.  It  was  an  amusing  sight  of  an 
evening  to  watch  the  flocks  of  paroquets  homing  in  the  big 
trees  by  some  pagoda,  the  first  arrivals  calling  with  shrill  clamour 
to  the  belated  ones  as  they  hurried  in  from  the  depths  of  the 
woods. 

On  the  nth  (May)  we  entered  the  region  of  Mong  Ma,  whose 
people  were  chiefly  Pai',  as  evidenced  at  the  approach  to  the  large 
village    of  Ta-tse-kai    by    the    lozenge  -  shaped    bamboo    erections 

115 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

against  evil  spirits.  In  the  streets  were  to  be  seen  several 
yellow  -  robed  young  bonzes,  and  as  it  was  market-day  a  con- 
siderable rabble  was  attracted  by  our  passage  ;  but  it  was  orderly, 
and  in  many  cases  the  pedestrians  did  reverence  to  us.  We 
could  not  help  laughing  at  the  figure  cut  by  our  soldier  escort, 
who,  in  addition  to  carrying  the  traditional  parasol  in  bandolier, 
wore  in  guise  of  martial  casque  an  inverted  rice  kettle,  like 
Mambrino's  helmet,  on  his  pate. 

In  the  midst  of  the  fields  hereabouts  there  often  rose  circular 
mounds  planted  with  large  trees  and  occasionally  enclosed  by 
walls.  The  summit  usually  contained  two  or  three  tombs. 
These  barrows  were  very  like  the  menhirs  and  dolmens  seen 
in  Brittany,  where  they  are  called  "fairy  rings,"  or  like  the 
cromlechs  in  parts  of  England. 

On  riding  into  camp  in  the  evening  I  saw  Briffaud  and  Nam 
coming  towards  me  with  evident  tidings  of  annoyance.  In 
defiance  of  my  injunctions,  the  men,  at  the  instigation  of  Francois, 
had  tried  to  stop  in  Ta-tse-kai,  which  intention  Briffaud  had 
frustrated.  Shortly  after,  he  had  again  occasion  to  tell  Francois 
to  recall  some  of  the  mafous  from  a  wrong  road,  whereupon  the 
interpreter  in  good  round  French  grossly  insulted  him.  My 
comrade  at  once  jumped  down,  tumbled  him  off  his  nag,  and 
gave  him  a  drubbing.  The  rascal  called  loudly  on  the  mafous 
for  aid,  and  Briffaud  promised  that  the  first  man  to  lay  a  finger 
on  him  would  get  his  head  broken.  On  my  arrival  Francois 
pretended  that  his  abuse  had  been  levelled  at  a  Chinese  mafou 
and  not  at  Briffaud,  declared  he  was  my  interpreter  and  no  one 
else's,  and  concluded  by  declining  to  go  any  farther.  "  Very 
good,"  said  I,  "make  out  your  account." 

Then  Lichatan,  the  new  makotou,  approached  with  four  mafous 

ii6 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

and  announced  that  they  could  no  longer  remain  with  us  because 
we  beat  the  Chinese.  At  this  juncture  a  new  champion  entered 
the  lists  on  our  behalf  in  the  person  of  Sao,  who,  understanding 
Chinese,  used  it  to  such  effect  that,  having  at  my  suggestion  gone 
among  the  men  and  heard  their  tale,  the  mutineers  were  presently 
brought  back  to  reason  and  their  allegiance.  Of  course  Francois 
was  at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  He  had  spread  falsehoods  that 
the  assault  had  been  unprovoked,  and  that  we  were  brutes, 
who  were  going  to  lead  them  into  a  country  of  brigands  with- 
out pay.  Sao  scattered  this  fabrication  by  the  contemptuous 
assurance  that  it  was  a  bundle  of  lies,  and  that  if  they  left  us  we 
should  simply  get  others  in  their  place,  who  would  jump  at  the 
wages  offered.  Next  morning  Francois  came  with  a  discomfited 
air  to  be  paid,  and  then  asked  for  a  certificate,  which  I  refused 
point-blank.  "  But  I  have  worked  well,"  whined  he.  I  rejoined 
that  that  was  not  my  experience,  and,  after  judicially  summing  up 
his  many  impertinences  to  his  culminating  act  of  insubordination, 
dismissed  him.  So  we  were  well  rid  of  our  odious  interpreter,  and 
would  have  to  make  shift  as  best  we  might  for  the  next  fortnight 
till  we  got  to  Tali.  If  our  local  information  should  be  less,  our 
progress  in  elementary  Chinese  would  be  more. 

During  the  12th  and  13th  (May)  we  passed  over  a  series  of 
unimportant  hills  from  the  bed  of  the  Mong-ma-ta-ho,  the  course 
of  which  we  followed  for  a  bit,  to  that  of  a  swifter  stream,  the 
Lan-cho-ho.  On  the  14th,  in  the  morning,  I  escaped  a  nasty 
accident.  I  was  leading  my  mule  over  some  rough  planks  that 
spanned  a  shut-in  torrent,  when  he  slipped  and  fell  into  the  rocky 
chasm.  I  thought  he  must  be  killed,  as  he  lay  quite  still  ;  but 
these  animals  fall  like  cats,  and  it  was  not  long  before  we  had  him 
on  his   legs  again.     The  same  evening  we  crossed  a  strong  river 

117 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

by  a  wattled  bridge,  and  entered  the  town  of  Yunchou.  It  was 
night,  and  the  streets  were  very  animated,  the  people  moving 
about  by  the  glimmer  of  paper  lanterns,  and  making  purchases  of 
fruit,  grain,  or  fritters  at  shops  lit  by  greasy  lamps.  In  front  of 
most  of  the  houses  scented  joss-sticks  burned  in  honour  of  Buddha, 
and  looked  from  afar  like  glowing  cigar  ends.  A  maimed  and 
nasal  betjorar  trailed  himself  alons:  the  middle  of  the  thorouohfare 
holding  out  a  wooden  bowl,  into  which  an  occasional  sapeck 
rattled.  Before  one  door  twisted  hangings  of  linen  were  draped 
upon  a  frame,  denoting  that  a  wedding  was  about  to  take  place. 
Through  this  bustling  scene  we  wended  our  way  to  an  unusually 
retired  inn. 

From  Yunchou,  on  the  morrow,  we  despatched  a  courier  to 
Tali.  Meanwhile  we  descended  into  the  town  and  expended 
some  money  and  bad  Chinese  on  various  purchases.  We  got 
on  with  our  bargaining  very  fairly  considering,  though  the  in- 
cessant requisitions  of  our  men  in  their  efforts  to  delay  the  move 
necessitated  our  submitting  to  a  certain  amount  of  fleecing.  Still, 
we  were  on  the  road  again  by  the  i6th  (May),  proceeding  through 
a  fertile  district  of  maize,  sugar-cane,  and  rice.  The  grey  and 
white  pagodas  which  we  passed  disclosed  a  series  of  interior  courts 
arranged  in  rectangular  tiers  like  Thibetan  Lamaserais  or  ancient 
Jewish  temples.  But,  on  the  whole,  the  country  was  monotonous, 
and  our  chief  diversion  lay  in  observing  the  habits  of  our  own 
troop  and  of  the  natives  whom  we  met.  Among  the  former,  Sao, 
in  addition  to  his  other  services,  now  helped  us  after  a  fashion  as 
an  interpreter,  and,  on  inquiry  of  us  if  we  should  have  to  do 
with  many  more  Chinese,  ejaculated  his  usual  pithy  comment, 
"  Plenty  stupid  !  " 

Numerous  mule  caravans  crossed  us,  the  leaders'  heads  adorned 

ii8 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

with  feathers  of  the  Lady  Amherst  pheasant.  Their  loads  for  the 
most  part  consisted  of  small  wedges  of  iron,  like  bricks,  sometimes  of 
bales  of  cotton.  In  one  day  we  counted  as  many  as  one  hundred  and 
fifty  animals.  Now  and  then  a  rising  ground  was  capped  by  a  mud- 
built  watch-tower,  in  shape  like  a  three-sided  sentry-box.  lo  feet  high, 


Carriers  met  on  the  Road. 

with  loopholes,  probably  relics  of  the   Mussulman  war.     At  greater 

distances  apart    upon  the  hilltops   rose  obelisks  of  dazzling  white 

masonry.      I  rode  up  to  one,  and  found  it  to  be  quadrilateral,  about 

40  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  ball,  to  which  a  prickly  pear-tree  had 

by  some  means  attached  itself,  perhaps  seeded  by  the  many  black- 

119 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

birds  that  flew  around  the  monument.  A  little  farther,  to  our  no 
small  astonishment,  we  found  ourselves  face  to  face  with  three 
elephants,  busy  eating  the  foliage.  We  hardly  expected  to  see 
these  beasts  in  China,  but  were  told  they  had  been  sent  from 
Mong-le,  Ava  way,  only  a  year  before. 

Chunning-Fou  next  came  in  sight  upon  the  lower  face  of  the 
hills  above  a  torrent.  Inside  its  grey  and  loopholed  walls  there 
appeared  but  little  life  :  its  roomy  houses,  gardens,  and  wide 
streets  had  the  air  of  a  quiet  provincial  town,  and  by  contrast 
with  commercial  Ssumao  it  suofgested  in  a  minor  degree  the  ratio 
of  Washington  to  New  York.  The  people,  too,  were  civil,  and 
we  were  positively  able  to  joke  with  them  ;  so  that  it  was  a  pleasure 
to  admit  that  all  Chinese  even  are  not  cast  in  the  same  mould. 

Two  days  more  brought  us  again  back  to  the  bed  of  the 
Mekong,  here  steep  and  deep  and  wooded  in  patches.  We 
made  our  way  on  the  20th  (May)  down  to  a  bridge  composed 
of  fourteen  chains  among  rocks,  which  bore  surface  inscriptions 
in  Chinese.  The  mules  crossed  in  single  file ;  but  notwith- 
standing that  the  planks  were  in  fair  repair,  the  oscillation  slight, 
and  that  two  chains  served  as  a  handrail,  the  passage  needed  a 
cool  head.  The  locality  chosen  for  this  bridge  over  the  Mekong 
was  a  constricted  reach  sixty-seven  paces,  say  from  48  yards  to 
54  yards  across.  The  river  widened  again  a  little  lower,  but 
was  far  from  what  it  had  been  at  Sien-kiang.  The  difference  of 
altitude,  too,  was  great  for  its  breadth,  cliffs  of  975  feet  falling 
steeply  to  the  water's  edge,  with  only  a  streak  of  sand  at  their 
base.  The  water  must  be  deep  under  them.  As  we  climbed 
the  farther  (eastern)  side,  I  threw  a  glance  back  upon  the  river, 
which    this    time    we   should  leave  for  a  considerable  space.     The 

bridge    emerging    from    and    entering    a    little    white-walled,    grey- 

120 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

roofed  Chinese  gatehouse  at  either  end  had  something  light  and 
elegant  yet  withal  daring  in  the  way  in  which  it  was  flung  like 
a  gossamer  ladder  athwart  the  flood  that  flowed  with  sullen  force 
full  60  feet  below.  Confined  as  it  was,  the  stream  bore  on  its 
face  the  evidence  of  restrained  power,  the  might  of  the  great 
water  which  pours  from  north  to  south  of  Indo-China,  to  spread 
with  many  affluents  at  last  through  Cambodia  and  Cochin  China 
over  French  territory.  Once  more,  greeting  to  the  vast  river,  over 
and  again  purchased  to  France  by  the  blood  of  her  soldiers,  by 
the  lives  of  her  explorers,  and  by  the  achievements  of  diplomacy  ! 

The  march  of  the  21st  (May)  was  only  broken  by  an  incident 
that  might  have  had  a  different  termination.  We  were  riding 
along  the  brink  of  a  sharp  declivity,  and  Briffaud  had  just 
remarked  on  the  danger  of  a  slip,  when  hardly  were  the  words 
uttered  before  I  saw  Sao  fall  from  his  mule  and  roll  over  and 
over  till  caught  by  a  bush  50  feet  below.  In  a  moment  I 
was  off,  and  sliding  down  to  his  help  as  best  I  could.  By  little 
short  of  a  miracle  he  was  found  to  have  sustained  no  lasting 
hurt  :  he  had  fallen  asleep  in  the  saddle,  and  had  a  wonderful 
escape.  Before  halting  in  the  evening  we  observed  by  the  road- 
side a  sort  of  ijallows,  from  which  was  hung;  a  basket  with  what 
seemed  the  queue  of  a  Chinese  sticking  out  of  it.  An  inscription 
warned  the  passer-by  that  this  was  the  head  of  a  pirate. 

On    the    22nd    (May)  we    reached  the  Siao-kiang  (little  river), 

wrongly  called    by    Europeans    the    Yang-pi,  from    a    place    on  its 

banks.     The  stream  stole  along  with  a  singular  ruddy  tinge    that 

harmonised  well  with  the  pale  yellow  herbage  of   its  grey  shores. 

A    neat   little    village    was    coquettishly  perched    half-way    up   the 

opposite  hillside,  and  behind  it  the  fields  rose  to    pastures,  which 

yielded  in  turn  to  red  earth  at  the  margin  of  the  pines.      Between 

121 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  masses  of  rock  that  projected  sharp  shadows  in  the  hot  glare 
of  an  afternoon  sun,  the  dale  we  were  threading  seemed  almost 
a  defile,  over  the  glassy  Boor  of  which  stately  moving  cloud 
shapes  slowly  travelled.  The  passage  of  the  river  was  easily 
effected  on  a  bamboo  raft ;  after  which  we  gradually  left  the 
pleasing  scenery,  which  lost  nothing  from  the  approach  of 
evening.      Before    the    stage's    end    our   eyes    were    arrested   by    a 


On  the  Banks  of  the  Siao-kiang,  or  Yang-pi. 


til^'^ 


limestone   cliff    rising   to    a    height  of   260    feet.       The    splintered 

points  upon  its  brow  resembled  the  florets  on  a  crown,  and  round 

them    a    few  saplings    lifted    their    slender,    almost   aerial     foliage. 

To    a   ledge  in    mid-face,    and    actually    sustained    by    iron    rivets, 

clung    a  little  three-storeyed  pagoda,   Khou-an-yn-Miao,  the  house 

of  the   goddess    Khou-an-yn.       It    was    a    structure    of  grey    roof 

upon  lighter  walls,   with  broad  black  bands  on  which  were  traced 

some  large  white  characters.     The  prickly  pear  above  and  yellow 

122 


.** 


I  II  I  ll 


>r,!! 


i  I  Jill 


i    li     !'     1 


Pagoda  Khou-an-)n-Mia' 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

shrub  below  sought  foothold  in  the  crannies,  and  the  rock  but- 
tress that  struck  abruptly  downwards  amid  the  tree  tops  seemed 
placed  for  a  pedestal  to  the  edifice.  For  conscience'  sake  I 
visited  the  temple,  to  which  access  was  gained  by  a  slanting 
ladder  fully  in  keeping  with  its  precarious  surroundings.  The 
only  living  inmate  of  this  eyrie  was  a  guardian  who  maintained 
the  fire  and  joss-sticks  before  some  very  ordinary  gilded  gods. 

From  our  rest  camp  of  the  24th  (May)  we  had  a  good  view 
of  the  Meng-hua-ting  valley.  On  the  map  its  waters  belong  to 
the  basin  of  the  Red  River.  Going  on  in  advance,  Roux  and 
I  in  one  day  almost  reached  the  head  of  the  valley,  which  was 
about  two  miles  wide  and  filled  with  corn,  then  in  full  tide  of 
harvesting.  The  peasantry  were  poor,  and  called  themselves 
Tchou-cho-hos,  and  not  Chinese  ;  according  to  our  men  they  were 
Pe  Lolos.  We  left  Meng-hua-ting  on  our  right,  the  town 
seeming  unimportant ;  but  the  road  was  broad  and  paved,  and 
dotted  with  many  caravans,  chiefly  of  salt  or  cotton  under  striped 
coverings  that  looked  like  Thibetan  stuff. 

Ascending  the  chain  that  formed  the  end  of  the  valley,  we 
attained  the  summit,  after  some  hours'  climb,  on  the  26th  (May). 
Before  us  lay  the  lake  of  Tali.  The  hills  on  its  eastern  shores 
rested  upon  its  brink,  on  the  west  they  were  separated  from  it  by  a 
strip  of  land  a  mile  and  a  half  wide,  laid  out  in  squares  of  yellow  and 
green  crops,  and  studded  with  villages.  The  lake  lengthens  out 
towards  the  north,  and  at  first  sight  appears  smaller  than  that  of 
Yiinnan-Sen — no  doubt  because  it  is  narrower.  Under  the  rain 
clouds  in  which  we  viewed  it  for  the  first  time,  it  had  a  disappoint- 
ing effect,  though  perhaps  a  different  impression  might  be  conveyed 
with  the  mountain-tops  clear  and  a  ray  of  sun  to  light  up  the  waves. 

Then  one  might  more  easily  appreciate  the  legendary  beauty  of  this 

125 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

sheet  of  water,  which  has  such  a  hold  upon  the  imagination  of  the 
untutored  native  mind.  As  it  was,  it  required  some  effort  of  the 
fancy  to  picture  the  Golden  Bird  of  the  Thibetan  fables  hovering 
over  the  face  of  the  sacred  waters. 

Nevertheless,  our  men  were  filled  with  joy,  and  sang  and  shouted 
as  they  marched.  We  descended  the  hill  with  lengthened  stride, 
and  I  called  to  mind  many  a  strange  stage  in  my  former  travels, 
such  as  when  on  leaving  Thibet  we  hastened  down  to  Ta-tsien-lou. 
At  the  base  of  the  hills,  in  stony  chaos,  lay  the  cemetery — the  town 
of  the  dead  at  the  gate  of  the  living.  We  reached  the  river  that 
forms  the  outlet  of  the  lake;  and  here  three  routes  converged:  the 
one  from  the  capital ;  our  own  ;  and  that  from  Burmah,  called  the 
Ambassadors'  Road.  Along  the  last  named  stretched  into  the  dis- 
tance the  posts  of  the  new  telegraph  line  from  Bhamo — the  Future  ; 
and  here  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river — the  Past,  a  grey  loopholed 
wall,  with  battlements  and  bastions  crumbling  to  decay,  vestiges  of 
the  Mussulman  war. 

After  passing  the  village  of  Chia-kouan  (South-port),   the  way 

lay  through    fields   and   close-lying  hamlets.       It   was  dark  by  the 

time  we  came  to  the   gate  of  Tali  ;    luckily,    it   had   not  yet   been 

closed.     A  tunnel  led  under  the  ramparts,  and,  once  inside,  we  asked 

to  be  brought  to  the  house  of  the  French   Father.     After  a  long 

detour,   our  guide  stopped  before  a  dwelling,   and   I   hailed  loudly 

for  admittance ;    then,   finding   a    side    door  open,  entered.     What 

was  our  surprise  to  hear  a  feminine  European  voice !     The  owner 

at  the  same  moment  appeared  at  the  head  of  the  staircase  with  a 

companion,    both    dressed    as    Chinese,   and    disclosed  herself  as  a 

young    English   lady.      I    was   almost   as   taken  aback  as  our   men, 

who  had  probably  never  seen  a  European  woman  before,  and  stood 

there  rolling  their  eyes  in  wonder  ;  but,  mutual  explanations  being 

126 


SSUMAO  TO  TALI 

tendered,  we  found  we  were  in  the  house  of  the  wife  of  the  Pro- 
testant minister,  himself  away  from  home,  and  she  poHtely  sent 
a  servant  to  ofuide  us  to  the  mission.  But  our  adventures  were 
not  quite  complete  ;  for  in  their  admiration  of  the  European  fair 
sex  our  men  had  forgotten  the  mules,  which  had  quietly  scat- 
tered down  the  tortuous  lanes  of  the  vicinity,  where  we  had  to 
organise  a  battue  for  their  recovery.  So  that  it  was  late  ere  we 
were  all  at  last  safely  gathered  within  the  walls  of  the  Father's 
compound. 


12: 


Father  Leguilcher. 


CHAPTER     IV 

TALI-FOU 

Father  Leguilcher — History  of  Tali — Francis  Garnier — Murder  of  Margaiy — Mussulman 
War — Persecution  of  Christians — Our  Relations  with  the  Mandarins — Trade — The 
Minchias — Environs  of  Tali — The  Lake — Chinese  Superstition. 


Father   Leguilcher,   in   whose   house  we  were   now  lodged,  had 

been  forty-three  years   in   China,    in    succession  to   Fathers    Huot, 

Dumont,   and   Fage,   and  was   still   in   full   vigour  for  his  work. 

The    dwelling    which    he    occupied    was    built   in    1868,    by  the 

eldest      brother    of  a   leading    Mussulman,    and    was    one    of    the 

best  in  Tali.      Entrance   to   it   was  gained   through   several   paved 

interior    courts,    round    which    were    rany^ed    stone    benches,    with 

128 


TALI-FOU 

marble  vases  supporting  pleached  trees,  pomegranates,  and  nas- 
turtium. In  rear  of  the  living-part  was  a  garden  full  of  palms, 
orange  and  apricot  trees,  and  many  lesser  plants  dear  to  the 
French  palate.  In  this  retreat  we  rested  for  the  ne.xt  three 
weeks  ;  going  out  but  seldom,  and  occupying  our  time  in  the 
settlement  of  our  past  and  arrangement  for  our  future  journeys, 
and  in  the  agreeable   society  of  our  fellow-countryman. 

The  town  of  Tali  is  of  considerable  though  uncertain 
antiquity.  It  formed  once  the  capital  of  a  native  dynasty,  of 
which  the  last  king  was  called  Pe.  Some  Minchias,  said  to 
have  come  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Nanking,  established 
themselves  in  the  district,  and  were  subjugated  by  the  Chinese, 
who  suppressed  their  kingdom,  but  left  the  native  chiefs  under 
the  name  of  toussous.  Within  more  recent  time  the  history 
of  Tali   developed  incidents  of  directer  interest  for  Europeans. 

In  1875  Margary  was  assassinated,  on  the  road  from  Tali 
to  Bhamo,  by  the  subalterns,  Lisen-tajen,  of  the  tchentai  of  Teng- 
Yiieh,  acting  under  the  orders  of  the  notorious  viceroy  of 
Yunnan,  Tsen.  This  latter  expiated  his  cruelties  eleven  years 
later,  and  it  is  related  of  him  that  he  was  haunted  to  the  day 
of  his  death  by  the  spectres  of  his  numerous  victims,  often 
causing  him  to  stop  while  on  the  march  to  offer  supplications 
for  his  riddance  from  their  persecution.  Before  that,  in  1863,  a 
Frenchman,  Gamier,  had  visited  Tali  ;  and  Father  Leguilcher 
told  us  at  what  extreme  risk  he  had  himself  accompanied  the 
traveller  on  this  stage  of  his  journey. 

Coming   to  a  later  date,    it   was   the  capture  of  Tali  that  put 

an    end    to    the    Mussulman    war,  when    the    town    was    delivered 

into    the    hands    of    the     Imperial    troops    by    treachery.       Tsen 

arrived  just   after    the    surrender,    under    the    terms    of  which    the 
I  129 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

general    of  the    Chinese    forces    had    guaranteed    the    lives    of  the 

inhabitants.        "The    promise    was    yours,     not    mine,"    remarked 

Tsen  ;     and,     having     invited     the     leading     Mussulmans     to     his 

quarters,    he    had    them    all    butchered,    while,    at    the    same    time, 

a    cannon    shot    gave    the    signal    for    an    indiscriminate    massacre 

in  the   town.       This   bad   faith    is   quite   a   familiar   feature   among 

Chinese    of   all    ranks    and    of   all    time;     Li- Hung -Chang    only 

just    escaped    being    pistoled    by    Gordon    for    a    like    falsehood. 

At    the    period    of    our    sojourn    the    town    was    tranquil.       The 

people  seemed   scarcely  even   aware  that  China   was  at  war  with 

Japan. 

Our    presence,    however,    started  some  sinister  rumours   in   the 

direction    of    renewed    massacres    of    the    Christians.        Happily, 

these   received    no    further    expression    at    the   time  ;    but    there  is 

little    lasting   confidence   in   the    safety   of  either   life   or  property. 

The     murder     of     Father     Batifaut    in    this     province    was    still 

sufficiently    in    mind.        He    was    killed    in    1874    at    the    gate    of 

Pien-kio,   while  visiting  a  Christian  convert.      His   assailants  were 

rebels,    with    whom    he    had    refused    to  associate  himself,   so  that 

he    actually    lost    his    life    through    a    respect    for    the    Imperial 

authority.       The    matter    was    not    carried    to     Pekin,    and    was 

allowed   to   drop.     The   next  victim   was  a   convert,    Kieou-Japine 

by    name,    sacrificed    out   of  spite    against    Father    Charrere,    who 

had    gained    the    hatred    of   the    mandarins    by    the    determination 

and  success    of   his  work.       This    death  also   is   to  be  laid  to  the 

charge    of  the  Viceroy  Tsen.     The  Father  himself  only  eluded  a 

similar    fate    by    the    timely    warning    of    Father    Leguilcher,    and 

effected    his    escape,   with    a    small    band    of   disciples,   just    before 

the  gates  were  shut.       On  this  occasion  forty   Christians  fell,   the 

church    was    destroyed,    and    the    funds    confiscated.       About  the 

130 


TALI-FOU 

same  period  over  two  thousand  Christians  were  killed  on  the 
banks  of  the  Blue  River,  for  which  no  redress  has  ever  been 
obtained. 

The  28th  of  March  1884  saw  the  murder  of  Father  Terrace 
at  Chia-fung-tse.  An  accusation  had  been  trumped  up  against 
him,  which  the  taotai  of  Tali,  Fong  by  name,  refused  to  enter- 
tain. But  a  Fou-kien  mandarin  of  the  third  order  encouraged 
it,  and  gave  the  people  carte-blanche  to  wreak  their  will.  The 
Father  was  accordingly  besieged  in  his  house,  and,  after  an 
heroic  defence  through  an  entire  night,  aided  only  by  two  aged 
women,  he  was  stoned  to  death.  His  body  was  subjected  to 
horrible  mutilations,  the  heart  and  liver  being  boiled  in  a 
cauldron  ;  and  it  was  with  feelings  of  extreme  repulsion  and 
self-repression  that,  some  months  after  the  occurrence.  Father 
Leguilcher  found  himself  constrained  by  his  position  to  enter- 
tain the  perpetrator  of  this  diabolical  human  cookery.  The 
Chinese  Government  subsequently  paid  fifty  thousand  taels  to 
the  mission,  as  compensation  for  the  outrage. 

The  Father  told  us  that  it  was  no  specific  witchcraft  that 
was  attributed  to  the  Christians,  but  such  idle  superstitions  as 
the  supposed  evil  augury  of  cutting  a  fowl's  tail-feathers,  that 
sufficed  to  inflame  the  fanaticism  of  the  Chinese  against  them. 
In  the  days  of  their  worst  terror  the  Christians  adopted  a 
private  argot  among  themselves,  which  their  oppressors  called 
"devil  talk";  but  it  only  survives  now  among  a  few  of  the 
former  generation. 

As  a  rule,  the  persecution  is  the  work  of  members  of  secret 
societies  fostered  by  the  mandarins,  "  The  United  Brotherhood " 
as  they  are  termed.  They  burn  incense,  a  cock  is  killed,  and 
his    blood,    mixed    with    spirit,    is    drunk    by    every    confederate. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


The  latter  were  formerly  known  by  the  title  of  Chaothiang  pai'pa 
{by  the  burning  of  incense  the  brethren  are  known) ;  later  as 
Kiang-fou-houi  [river-take  of  the  Hou-Pe,  sect  centre),  Kolao  (elder 
brothers,  younger  brothers).  Their  most  ordinary  designation,  how- 
ever, is  Chiao-chiang-tichiang  {incense  burners,  elders,  youngers). 
It    is    even    hinted   that   the   leaders  of  these   leagues   aim    at  the 

actual  overthrow  of 
the  present  dynasty. 
As  a  matter  of 
fact,  Father  Lecruil- 
cher  was,  at  the 
period  of  which  we 
write,  left  in  peace. 
The  Christian  in- 
mates of  his  house 
seemed  good  ser- 
vants :  one  was  the 
teacher  in  the  school, 
and  spoke  Latin 
fairly,  another  was  a 
horse-dealer,  a  third 
a  joiner.  It  was  not 
an  uncommon  thinof 
for  poorer  parents  to 
sell  their  children  :  one  such,  an  urchin  of  seven  years,  about  the 
size  of  a  child  of  three  at  home,  became  quite  a  pet  of  ours. 
He  had  a  holiday  in  honour  of  our  visit,  and  spent  the  whole 
day  in  the  court  silently  intent  upon  our  movements,  save  when 
we  took  any  notice  of  him,  when   his  face   expanded  into  a  wide 

smile,    which,  while   it  closed   his   eyes,    permitted   only   the   tip   of 

132 


JiVV 


The  Pel. 


H 


TALI-FOU 

his   tongue    to    protrude    from    the    creases  of  his    fat    Httle    coun- 
tenance. 

If  we  were  well  treated  within  the  Father's  domicile,  we  were 
not  neglectful  of  the  external  forms  of  ceremony  advisable  towards 
the  authorities.  The  day  following  our  arrival  we  duly  sallied 
forth  to  the  houses  of  the  two  mandarins,  the  military  chief,  and 
the  taotai,  whom  we  had  previously  advertised  of  our  visit,  and 
who  had  signified  their  oiracious  intention  to  accord  us  an  inter- 
view.  But  on  our  presenting  ourselves  at  their  respective  yamen, 
we  were,  in  each  case,  refused  audience  on  the  plea  of  a  headache. 
We  regretted  having  so  far  put  ourselves  out  for  such  ill-bred 
curmudgeons  ;  and  when,  a  few  days  afterwards,  some  soldiers  were 
sent  with  a  demand  for  our  passports,  we  took  the  opportunity  of 
replying  that  men  of  our  rank  were  accustomed  to  travel  in  formal 
order,  and  that  as  the  mandarins  had  declined  to  see  us  personally 
there  could  be  no  necessity  for  them  to  inspect  our  papers. 

Tali  has  a  population  of  about  twenty  thousand  souls.  Two 
principal  streets  traverse  it,  one  long  one  running  north  and  south, 
and  the  other  descending  towards  the  east  to  the  lake  side.  The 
town  offers  but  few  points  of  interest  to  the  traveller.  The  eye 
is  attracted  by  a  great  grey  block  of  masonry  at  the  entrance  to 
the  main  gate.  This  is  the  bell  and  drum  tower,  furnishing 
quarters  to  a  few  soldiers,  whence  a  bell  gives  the  signal  for 
gun-fire  at  night-fall,  and  every  two  hours  for  the  watch.  Small 
shops  line  the  sides  of  the  two  chief  streets,  as  in  most  Chinese 
towns.  Goods  of  European  manufacture,  chiefly  English,  come 
from  Burmah,  or  from  Pese  on  the  Canton  River ;  those  brought 
from  the  east  have,  before  reaching  Tali,  to  pass  the  head  of  the 
shortest  route  of  penetration  into  China  by  the  Red  River.  A 
few  silk  stuffs  descend  from  Setchuen. 

135 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


In    the    way    of    local    trade     I     only    noticed    some    round    or 

square  slabs  of   marble  from  the  Tsang-chang    mountains.      They 

are  veined,  and  are  valued  according  as  they  bear  a  more  or  less 

fanciful  resemblance    to    men,  animals,  or  mountains.      A  fair  sale 

is  also  carried   on   in   skins — tiger,  panther,    little    lynx,    a  greyish 

wolf,  and  pandas  [Ailurtis),   the   thick   ringed   tails   of  which  were 

to  be  seen  hanging  in 

bunches     before      the 

door-posts.       At    Tali 

also  there   is  a  house 

which  has   a  depot   of 

tea  from  Pou-eul-Fou. 

A    wine    of    Lykiang, 

made  from  barley,  and 

not     unlike     certain 

Spanish     vintages     to 

the    palate,    is    sold 

here.        Cette     is    the 

only    other    place,     to 

my  knowledge,   where 

wine  is   made  without 

the  fruit  of  the  grape. 

Besides    such    articles 

as    those  above   mentioned,    many    Thibetan    woollen    stuffs,    thick 

and    warm,    find    their    way    hither.       On   one  day   (5th   June)   we 

met    a    caravan    coming    from    the    tea-gardens,    consisting    of    no 

fewer  than   three  hundred   Thibetan   horses  and  mules,    bound  for 

Atentse.     With  them  we  saw  several  of  those  enormous  black  and 

tan  dogs  of  Thibet  which  can  only  live  in  cold  climates. 

Food  resources  seemed  plentiful  :  beef,  mutton,  vegetables,  and 

136 


T.ili-Fou  Woman. 


TALI-FOU 

potatoes.  Butter  is  made  by  Christian  converts  at  about  two 
days'  distance ;  and  often,  while  enjoying  the  luxury  of  our 
repasts  here,  we  thought  with  some  sorrow  of  the  renewal  of 
hard  fare  which  awaited  us  in  a  few  days. 

The  Minchia  population,  which  is  in  the  majority  and  very 
prolific  in  its  increase,  has  been  established  here  for  some 
thousands  of  years.  The  type  is  hard  to  distinguish  from  Chinese, 
but  the  language  is  different.  Mussulmans  are  also  numerous, 
and  many  of  them  have  been  embodied  in  the  army.  In  the 
opinion  of  the  Father,  the  accession  of  the  Mussulmans  does  not 
promise  much  opening  of  the  country  to  foreigners  ;  they  talk 
of  their  advent,   but  at  heart  they  do  not  desire  it. 

Immediately  behind  Tali  itself  the  mountain  rises  steeply  in 
scarps,  green  indeed,  but  totally  devoid  of  timber,  up  to  the  sharp 
rocks  of  its  summit,  which  stands  at  an  altitude  of  13,000  feet 
in  isolation — a  befitting  natural  screen  and  abutment  to  the  lake 
lying  at  its  feet.  During  our  stay  we  only  saw  snow  on  its 
head  for  a  few  hours  ;  it  is  rare  in  summer,  but  during  eight 
months  of  the  year  the  cap  is  always  white.  The  chain  of 
Tsang  -  chang  placed  like  a  wall  between  Chinese  Yunnan,  the 
civilised  province,  and  the  little- known  and  wild  regions  of  the 
Kachins  of  Upper  Burmah,  and,  to  the  right,  of  Thibet,  reminded 
me  of  the  rampart  of  the  AltynTJagh,  the  Golden  Mountains, 
which  seem  to  forbid  any  approach  from  the  north  to  Thibet 
the  mysterious.  Here,  as  on  the  south  of  the  Lob-Nor,  legends 
hover  above  their  peaks,  to  daunt  the  traveller.  F"e\v  are  they 
that  have  crossed  the  barrier ;  and  of  those  bold  spirits  that 
have  dared  its  perils  rarely  have  any  re-emerged.  Its  inaccessible 
crags  resist  the  proffered  violation  of  their  secrecy ;  cold  grips 
the    foolhardy  mountaineer,  and    he    drops  amid  their    unforgiving 

^o7 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

solitudes.  It  was  at  9,750  feet  that  a  dozen  bodies  were  dis- 
covered, crouched,  locked  together  for  a  long  -  lost  warmth,  and 
frozen  stiff  Yet  at  this  height  the  effects  of  mountain  atmosphere 
are  not  so  generally  fatal. 

At  a  short  distance  east  of  the  town  the  margin  of  the  lake 
Er-hai  extends  from  north-north-west  to  south-east ;  and  the 
plain  which  fringes  it  and  environs  Tali  strikes  the  base  of  the 
Tsang-Chang  mountains,  and  spreads  over  an  area  of  a  dozen 
leagues.  Nothing  can  adequately  convey  a  sense  of  its  fertility. 
Between  the  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  villages  it  contains 
there  is  not  a  rood  of  fallow  ground,  and  every  field  yields  two 
harvests  a  year.  The  only  rest  the  soil  gets  is  in  a  change 
of  crops.  The  chief  products  are  corn,  maize,  opium,  rice,  and 
buckwheat.  No  tax  burdens  the  farmer,  and  quite  a  small  plot 
belonging  to  the  mission  brings  in  fifty  taels  per  annum. 

At  the  two  extremities  of  the  lake  the  little  towns  of  Chan- 
kouan  and  Chia-kouan  (upper  and  lower  gate)  mark  the  limits 
of  the  plain.  With  a  few  slight  military  works  on  the  north  and 
south, — its  natural  defences  suffice  for  the  east  and  west, — the 
place  might  be  held  for  a  long  time  against  an  enemy  from 
without,  especially  as  the  besieged  would  have  ample  and 
practically  inexhaustible  food  supplies  at  their  very  gates.  From 
which  it  may  be  seen,  as  before  indicated,  that  the  triumph  of 
the  Imperial  troops  in  1S71  was  due  to  the  treachery  instilled 
among  the  lieutenants  of  the  Sultan  rather  than  to  force  or 
famine. 

One  afternoon  of  our  stay  I  escaped  from  the  mission  and 
turned  my  mule  down  towards  the  lake.  It  was  about  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour's  ride  through  cultivated  fields  to  the  shore, 
bordered  with    trees    and    villages.      Over  the    tranquil    surface  of 

138 


TALI-FOU 

the    blue-green    water   glided    several    boats   about    40    feet    long, 

each  with  a  single  mast  and   a  large  rectangular  sail   of   matting. 

On    the    opposite    side    the    hills    were    rounded    and    barren,   with 

veins  of  red   that   meandered   down    their    slopes    into    the  water. 

It   would   have    been   a  scene  of  calm  contemplation  as    I    sat  on 

a    stone    to    enjoy    it,    but    for    the    hateful    Chinese    crowd    that 

hustled    and   shut   me    in.      At   such    moments   a   murderous   desire 

came  upon  one  to  fling  oneself,   knife  and  revolver  in  hand,  upon 

the  repulsive   mob  that  would  not    let    one   breathe  the   fresh   air 

in  peace  for  a  moment.      For  it  was  a  delightful  spot  that   1  had 

selected,     beneath    the    shade    of    some    willows    where   a   green 

margin  of  turf  sloped  to  a  bank  of  shells  upon   the   edge  of  the 

lake.       Small    barques    slipped    silently    inshore,    propelled    almost 

without   a   ripple    by   a   light   and    tapering    pole    plied   lazily   from 

the    stern.       In    the    gathering   dusk    they    showed    but    as    dark 

shadows  ;  on  prow  and  gunwale  perched  a  motionless  row  of  sombre 

cormorants,    so    that    each    vessel    seemed    the    ship    of    Charon. 

Whether   from   the   plumage   of  the   birds,    or   from   their   attitude, 

the    whole    convoy    presented   a  weird,   funereal    appearance.      But 

the  odour  of  their    freight    presently    declared    them    only    fishers 

returned    from    water  -  hawking.       To    each    boat   there    are    eight 

cormorants ;   a  straw  collar  round  the  throat  prevents  their  bolting 

the  fish  that  they  have  struck,  and  the  men  have  a  seine  of  plaited 

osier  for  the  prey.       Here   from   the  lake  side  Tali  was  but   half 

visible,    nor  from  the   few   roofs   emerging  from    the    green   would 

anyone  suspect  the  proximity  of  so  large  a  town. 

But  it   was  time  to  be   up  and  away.     Our  money  and    cases 

had  come  up   from    Mongtse,    the   taels   in   little   packages  of  five 

bags  each,  carried  by  six  men   in  osier  baskets  balanced  on  their 

shoulders.      As  we   advanced    we    reduced    our    retinue,   and   here 

141 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


dismissed    most    of  our   former    mafous    and    disposed    of    several 
mules. 

Before  we  left  we  received  a  visit  from  two  of  the  Fathers, 
Pitou  and  Reichenbach,  whose  station  was  two  days'  distant 
from     Tali  ;     and    with    six    Frenchmen    momentarily    united    in    a 

far  country  it  may 
be  judged  if  the 
party  broke  up 
early.  The  mis- 
sionaries gave  us 
interesting  details  of 
the  country,  especi- 
ally regarding  the 
superstitions  of  the 
Chinese  in  Tali, 
among  which  the 
errors  of  the  Middle 
Ages  lived  again. 
For  instance,  in  the 
heart  of  the  larger 
cactus  is  found  a 
pith,  which  to  a 
lively  imagination 
presents  the  semblance  of  a  doll.  In  this  the  natives  see  the 
embryo  European,  and  to  be  beforehand  with  a  possible  invasion 
slay  every  cactus  in  the  place.  Again,  when  rain  is  wanted 
a  long  paper  dragon  is  carried  through  the  streets  ;  or,  more 
effectual  still,  a  dressed-up  dog  is  carried  in  a  palanquin,  before 
which    the   very   mandarins   must   bow   for   the   propitiation   of  the 

skies. 

142 


iJ'^^ 


'-^^j:^  - 


Main  Gate  Tali- Foil. 


CHAPTER    V 

FROM    TALI    TO    TSEKOU 

Caravan  Reconstituted — Joseph — Departure  from  Tali — Fong-Yu — Cross  the  Yang-pi — • 
Sah  Works  at  Tien-eul-tsin — Dread  of  the  "  Barbarians  " — Bridge  over  the  Mekong — 
Fey-long-kiao — Strange  Gods — Lao  ;  Extreme  Chinese  Village — Valley  Tangle — The 
Salwen — A  Friendly  Toussou — His  Office — Between  the  two  Rivers — The  "  Gate  of 
the  Tiger" — Subterranean  Cavern — Lissou  Tallies — The  Mekong  again — Cord  Bridge 
at  Piao-tsen — New  Year's  Trees — -Tono  Monstrosities — A  Thief  Forestalled — Lamas- 
jens  —  Successful  Robbery  ;  an  Unfortunate  Loss  —  Native  Dance — Lamasjen  and 
Lissou  Customs — A  Village  Esmeralda — Administration — False  Alarms — In-Chouan  ; 
Ruined  Village — Side  Expedition  to  Tdki — Explanation  of  Wild  Loutses — Toti — Ex- 
pected Attack — On  Guard — -Cross-Bows  and  Poisoned  Arrows — Deities  at  Fong- 
Chouan  ;  Joseph  as  Cicerone — Curious  Emblems — Different  Names  of  the  Salwen — 
First  mention  of  the  Kiou-Kiang — -Loutses  and  their  Prisoners — With  Dance  and  Song 
— To  the  Spirit  of  the  Earth — Thibetan  Tents  Sighted — Town  of  Hsiao-Ouisi — 
Father  Tintet — Trials  of  the  Missionaries — News  from  Tali — Full  Stop  on  the  Right 
Hank — We  recross  the  Mekong  at  Halo — Hopatie  Fete — Caravan  Divided — Lama- 
serai  of  Kampou — Description — Points  of  Similarity  between  Roman  Catholicism  and 
Thibetan  Buddhism — Yetche  :  its  Ruler  and  People — -The  Mossos — Their  History, 
Customs,  and  Method  of  Writing — Visit  to  the  King — Mosso  equivalent  for  Bell, 
Book,  and  Candle — Arrival  at  Tsekou — Retrospect. 

By  the  14th  of  June  our  preparations  were  complete.  We  had 
no  time  to  lose,  and  wished  to  be  off.  Henceforward,  as  we 
should  no  longer  be  able,  as  at  Mongtse,  to  fall  back  on  a  relay 
or  a  reserve,  it  was  necessary  to  carry  with  us  everything  that 
we  should  require  to  the  end — money,  lights,  stores,  etc.  We 
left  with  the  missionaries  the  collections  made  up  to  this  point, 
and  some  superfluous  baggage  for  remission  to  INIongtse,  but,  in 
view   of  the  country  we  were  about  to   enter,  we  were  obliged  to 

143 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

augment  our  packages,  and,  in  consequence,  our  caravan.  We 
took  one  load  of  horse-shoes ;  another  of  tea  (for  personal  con- 
sumption as  well  as  for  barter)  ;  one  of  grease,  made  up  dry  in 
small  leather  bags  ;  two  dozen  lbs.  of  sugar ;  three  sheepskin  beds 
(making  one  load),  tunics  of  the  same  with  the  wool  on  ;  felt  boots  ; 


t        ■/ 


■  -I «( '        it 


\x\\^  ^ 


"'-st/ 


i  f 


Some  of  our  Escort. 


and  two  large  plain  tents  for  the  men.     One  of  the  most  difficult 

questions   was    that    of  lights ;    we   had  with  us  candles  calculated 

for    six    months.     Our   beasts    had    been    partly  changed   and    our 

retinue    renewed,   so    that   we    felt  as    though   starting  on  a   fresh 

expedition. 

We  had  experienced   no   difficulty  at  Tali   in   procuring  strong 

144 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

mules.  Our  caravan  was  composed  of  thirty  such,  of  which  six 
were  for  the  saddle.  We  mustered  si.xteen  men,  all  told.  Our 
two  Annamite  boys,  after  a  little  hesitation,  decided  to  go  for- 
ward with  us  ;  but  of  the  Chinese  who  entered  Tali  in  our  train 
but  two  remained — Roux's  mule  man  Chantzeu,  and  his  assistant 
Fa,  a  strong,  well-conducted  lad  whom  we  had  taken  on  at 
Ssumao.  The  new  makotou  was  a  big,  seasoned  fellow,  about 
forty  years  old,  who  talked  little  and  worked  hard,  and  neither 
drank  nor  smoked.  Under  him  were  seven  mafous,  some  of 
them  Christians. 

The  interpreter  was  also  a  Christian,  furnished  by  the  Fathers. 
It  was  a  matter  for  astonishment  to  find  in  this  out-of-the-way 
spot  anyone  who  could  act  in  that  capacity.  It  was  still  more  so 
when  I  add  that  Joseph  spoke  not  a  word  of  French.  He  was 
what  the  missionaries  termed  a  "  Latinist."  Brought  up  and 
taught  from  early  childhood  by  the  Fathers,  he  had  learnt  Latin, 
and  even  studied  philosophy.  But  not  feeling  a  call  for  orders 
he  had  married,  and  became,  like  many  of  his  kind,  a  trader, 
setting  up  a  small  store  with  his  father-in-law.  Never,  in  all 
probability,  did  he  suspect  that  his  acquaintance  with  the  lan- 
guage of  Cicero  would  be  lucrative,  any  more  than,  I  am  free  to 
add,  I  had  myself  thought  to  derive  direct  advantage  from  the 
many  painful  hours  erstwhile  spent  over  the  Catilines  or  the 
^neid.  At  first,  intercourse  was  not  easy.  Our  oratorical 
attempts  were  hardly  brilliant ;  there  were  even  times  when  we 
were  not  in  touch.  By  degrees,  however,  we  gained  fluency,  and 
in  a  month  had  completely  mastered  each  other's  idiosyncrasies  of 
expression.  But  what  Latin !  Horresco  ref evens !  Solecisms, 
barbarisms,  neologisms,  all  the  "isms"  invented  might  be  applied 
to  our  jargon.  Luckily,  we  had  only  ourselves  for  audience. 
^  145 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Eulocjy  on  our  interpreter  would  be  premature  here  ;  his  merits 
will  appear  in  the  course  of  our  travel.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
Joseph  proved  himself  a  man  of  sterling  principle,  integrity,  and 
courage,  and  that  as  each  day  advanced  he  became  not  only  our 
devoted  servant  but  our  friend. 

All  being-  then  ready,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  (June)  we 
set  forth.  Our  course  was  still  west  by  a  road  leading  to  the 
Mekong.  Once  on  the  banks  of  the  river  we  should  have  to 
seek  a  way  up  the  valley.  The  actual  start  was  a  lengthy  pro- 
ceeding ;  each  of  our  men  had  a  last  word  to  say  to  a  parent  or 
friend.      But  at  length  we  got  away. 

Five  hours  later  we  parted  from  the  Fathers,  who  convoyed 
us  so  far  on  our  way.  It  was  not  without  real  regret  that  we 
said  good-bye  to  these  brave  fellow-countrymen,  whom  we  should 
in  all  human  probability  never  set  eyes  on  again.  The  pang 
was  a  mutual  one.  We  might  hope  to  see  our  country  within  a 
few  months;  they,  never.  It  must  have  needed  some  fortitude 
to  face  that  word — above  all,  in  China. 

We  proceeded  along  a  paved  causeway  between  the  moun- 
tains of  Tsang-Chang  and  the  lake,  and  we  did  not  emerge  from 
the  hollow  during  the  first  day,  which  closed  on  us  in  a  clean 
little  Minchia  village.  On  the  next  we  continued  to  skirt  the 
lake,  which  narrowed  towards  the  north,  until  it  ended  in  a  mere 
reed-bordered  channel,  up  which  some  boats  were  being  poled. 
The  swamps  stretched  farther,  diversified  with  hummocks ;  it 
seemed  as  if  the  lake  proper,  the  basin  of  which  was  clearly 
defined  by  the  hills,  must  once  have  been  more  extensive.  The 
alluvial  land  of  its  bed,  scarcely  above  the  level  of  the  water, 
was  cultivated   with   rice  ;  and   many  a  hamlet  and  clump  of  trees 

appeared    from    the    verdant     surface ;     the    vista     recalled    some 

146 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

corners  of  Normandy.  Passing  Chang-kouan,  which  forms  the 
northern  gate  of  the  valley,  we  stopped  at  Teng-chouan-cheou,  in 
a  pagoda  where  we  were  pestered  by  crowds  of  inquisitive  idlers. 

On  the  1 8th  (June)  a  sparsely  clad  ascent  brought  us  to 
a  col  at  an  altitude  of  9,035  feet.  We  were  in  the  midst  of  Alpine 
vegetation;  asters,  orchids,  edelweiss,  etc.,  abounded.  The  air 
was  fresh  and  invigorating.  At  our  feet  was  spread  a  wide  and 
well-tilled  vale,  the  rice-fields  like  a  draught-board  below  us, 
and  the  villages  grey  specks  edged  with  green.  Throughout  its 
length  a  river  traced  a  sinuous  course  with  a  dark  riband  of 
trees.  The  coup  d'cei/  was  striking,  and  issuing  as  we  did  from 
brown  and  rugged  hills  we  could  hardly  repress  an  exclamation 
of  delight.  Rarely  had  we  seen  fertility  so  fully  turned  to  account. 
Save  where  small  dikes  defined  the  boundaries  of  the  fields,  no 
single  rood  of  ground  was  lost.  Upon  the  distant  hills  a  few 
white  scaurs  showed  like  beacons  over  the  valley.  Down  on  the 
level  a  group  of  peasants  might  be  discerned  round  a  minute 
oriflamme,  lightening  their  toil  with  the  sound  of  flageolet  and 
eone.  When  we  descended  to  the  river  we  found  its  waters 
rapid  and  clear  beneath  a  fringe  of  willows,  and  the  irrigation 
was  cleverly  controlled  by  intersecting  runnels. 

We  crossed  the  valley  by  a  paved  road  at  right  angles,  and 
came  to  the  Minchia  townlet  of  Fong-Yu  (two  thousand  or  three 
thousand  inhabitants).  I  noticed  the  peculiar  head-dress  of  some  of 
the  women,  consisting  of  a  close-fittino-  little  black  hood  with  silver 
ornaments  in  front.  Their  hair  was  looped  to  cover  the  ear, — one 
might  have  supposed  they  had  got  the  latest  mode  from  Paris, 
— and  this  style  seemed  reserved  for  the  young  girls.  To  see 
them  at  work  in  the  fields  in  their  skull-caps,  little  jackets,  and 
trousers    revealed   by  the  tucked-up   skirt,   they   might   have  been 

147 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

taken  for  boys.  The  older  women  wore  the  black  turban, 
Chinese  fashion,  covering  the  hair  knot.  Amongst  these  folks 
one  met  with  some  pretty  faces  and  more  regular  features  than 
the  Chinese.  The  men,  on  the  other  hand,  differ  but  little  from 
the  latter. 

Despite  the  fact  of  the  doors  of  the  inn  where  we  lay  being 
closed,  they  shut  in  a  swarm  of  people,  and  our  repose  was 
broken  by  the  incessant  going  and  coming  of  the  "members 
of  the  family,"  as  they  explained  to  all  our  grumbles.  To  such 
an  argument  there  was  no  rejoinder :  yet  what  a  family !  Ceries, 
there  is  no  fear  of  depopulation  in  this  country  yet  awhile. 

It  took  us  five  days  to  reach  the  Mekong  from  Fong-Yu 
alone  a  rather  uniform  road.  A  second  hill  similar  to  the  last 
we  had  climbed,  and  then  on  the  20th  we  found  ourselves  by 
the  river  Yang-pi,  which  we  had  already  crossed  before  Tali. 
The  stream  here  was  spanned  by  a  hanging  bridge  on  eight 
chains  fastened  at  either  end  to  a  white  stone.  At  the  bridge 
head  was  a  platform,  and  on  it  a  recumbent  stone  buffalo,  sole 
guardian  of  the  spot,  as  if  watching  the  rush  of  water  with  a 
placid  air.  Near  the  Yang-pi  we  for  the  first  time  fell  in  with 
some  Lissous,  a  tribe  of  mountaineers  renowned  in  China  for 
their  fierceness.  We  were  to  have  more  to  do  with  them  in 
the  future.  These  representatives  were  swarthy,  and  wore  a 
broad  straw  hat  like  a  panama. 

On  the  2ist  (June)  we  traversed  a  wood,  threaded  by  green 
glades.  The  country  had  few  inhabitants  and  little  culture, 
merely  an  occasional  patch  of  corn  or  buckwheat,  but  the 
vegetation  was  luxuriant  and  the  shade  grateful.  White  dog- 
roses    scaled    the    trees    and    drooped    in    fragrant    clusters    over 

dazzling   diadems    of   lilies    of    the    height   of  a    man,    and    under 

148 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

foot  pink  primulas  made  a  gay  carpet.  The  enjoyment  of  these 
cool  forests  in  contrast  to  the  turmoil  of  the  inns  was  great. 
On  the  22nd  as  the  wood  thinned  the  villages  increased,  and 
we  came  to  some  salt  pits  at  Tien-eul-tsin.  These  we  inspected 
before  our  departure.  The  rock-salt  is  obtained  by  means  of 
shafts  about  65   feet  deep,  and   is   drawn  up  by   a  double  bucket. 


'V>^ 


Hanging  Bridge  over  the  Yang-pi. 


The  slush  is  then  tilted  into  a  trench,  which  conducts  it  to  large 
stone  vats,  whence  it  is  again  transferred  by  hand  into  wooden 
receptacles.  A  Chinese  overseer  at  a  counter  checks  the  work- 
men as  they  issue  with  their  dripping  loads.  The  next  process 
is  to  heat  the  mass  in  small  coppers  placed  on  kilns  (called 
tsao-fang,    of  which    there    might    be    about    si.xty   in    the   village), 

and    the   residuum    is  blocked    in  spherical  wooden   moulds.     The 

149 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

measure  thus  obtained  is  2  lbs.,  Chinese,  eight  tsiens.  A  pound 
is  worth  thirty  sapecks.  The  salt  is  sent  to  Teng-Vueh  and 
Yung-Tchang,  but  does  not  go  to  Tali.  Work  is  only  carried 
on  for  seven  days  in  a  month,  and  about  3,000  lbs.  ot  salt  are 
despatched  in  that  time.  The  workings  are  common ;  anyone 
can  share  in  them  by  paying  to  the  mandarin  a  rent,  which 
varies  according  to  the  number  of  labourers. 

As  we  left  Tien-eul-tsin  we  noticed  pagodas  on  the  hillside 
above  some  rocks,  on  which  were  engraved  inscriptions.  In  the 
middle  of  them  appeared  a  figure  of  the  goddess  Khou-an-yn, 
in  the  pose  of  a  madonna  with  flowing  drapery :  the  head  was 
in  profile,  with  a  hood  encircled  by  an  aureole.  Similar  designs 
exist  in  Japan.  Farther  on  we  passed  another  salt-mine  village, 
from  which  arose  columns  of  smoke,  before  coming  to  Yiin-long- 
cheou,  a  town  only  by  virtue  of  its  administration.  The  mandarin, 
who  entertained  us,  had  a  garrison  of  but  thirteen  men.  Here 
we  were  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Pi-kiang,  which  flows  from  the 
mountains  of  Likiang  into  the  Mekong  at  two  days'  distance. 

The  directions  furnished  us  as  to  the  route  to  follow  were 
vague.  They  were  to  the  effect  that  we  ought  to  reach  the 
Lan-Tsang-kiang  (Mekong)  in  two  days,  and  should  be  able  to 
cross  it  by  a  bridge.  But  on  the  other  side  we  should  find 
ourselves  in  the  territory  of  the  "barbarians,"  according  to  Joseph, 
and  with  paths  impracticable  for  mules.  The  approaches  to  the 
Sal  wen  were  regarded  with  dread.  A  local  proverb  says,  "He 
who  would  cross  the  Loutze-kiang  should  sell  his  wife  before 
he  starts."  Our  men  did  not  seem  to  make  any  actual  demur 
to  going  forward  ;  they  doubted  our  persisting  to  any  distance, 
but,  on  our  attempting  to  procure  an  extra  mafou  for  three 
more    mules    we    had    bought,    we    found    it    impossible    to    induce 

150 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

anyone  of  the  district  to  follow  us  farther  in  a  westerly  direction. 
One  of  our  other  mafous  prepared  himself  for  all  eventualities  by 
ofiering  to  the  gods  in  the  pagoda  where  we  were,  rice,  tchaotiou, 
and  pork,  and  by  burning  candles  before  the  two  altars  with 
repeated  prostrations. 

From  Yiin-long  the  route  ascended  over  a  low  shoulder  into 
a  wooded  and  turfy  country,  in  which  we  passed  through  a 
Lolo  and  Minchia  village  of  long  arched  dwellings.  Straw  was 
drying  in  the  yards  stacked  on  horizontal  bars  in  layers  to 
a  height  of  19  feet,  and  covered  by  a  small  pent-roof.  As  the 
village  was  crowded  with  another  caravan,  we  encamped  beyond 
in  a  fir-grove  hard  by  a  torrent,  and  enjoyed  the  seclusion  and 
magnificent  prospect  at  a  height  of  7,800  feet.  This  enjoyment 
would  have  been  more  generally  shared  by  the  rest  of  our  troop 
could  they  have  divested  themselves  of  some  foreboding  for  the 
future.  Only  that  morning,  in  conversation  with  Joseph,  I  had 
learned  of  a  road  which  branched  northward  from  the  bridge  over 
the  Mekong.  "But,"  said  he,  "we  must  not  think  of  taking 
it,  because  there's  sickness  in  the  district  ;  because  the  mountains 
are  stupendous ;  because,  in  a  word,  the  Lissous  are  there  ! 
I  was  content  to  abide  the  i.ssue,  and  let  them  talk. 

The  26th  (June)  was  very  hot,  and  the  glare  from  the 
slaty  rock  trying  ;  but  in  the  afternoon  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  muddy  Mekong,  and  presently  joining  its  course,  turned  up 
the  left  bank.  The  volume  of  its  waters  that  came  tumbling 
down  with  tumult  and  in  waves  shouldering  each  other  as  it  panic- 
driven  strengthened  our  previous  conception  of  its  force.  We 
found  the  bridge  a  little  farther ;  it  was  merely  a  footway  on 
chains  between  two  stone  piers  such  as  we  had  seen  before, 
with   the  river  forming   a   boiling  rapid   underneath.       The    bridge 

151 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

itself  was  sixty-six  paces  in  length,  but,  reckoning  from  the  edge 
of  the  wood  where  the  piers  commenced,  the  width  of  the  river  at 
this  point  was  about  seventy-six  yards.  Going  northward  up  stream 
this  is  the  last  bridge  on  the  Mekong  before  those  which  span  the 
two  arms  at  Tsiamdo,  on  the  main  road  between  Pekin  and  Lha^a. 
After  crossing  the  river  a  large  gateway  confronted  us,  through 
which  we  entered  the  street  of  the  village  of  Fey-long-kiao.  On 
either  side  the  regular  white  buildings  with  their  grey  roofs,  backed 
by  the  darker  hills  and  coffee-coloured  water,  imparted  quite  a 
charming  air  to  the  place.  Within,  it  was  the  same  as  other  Chinese 
towns,  squalid  and  dirty,  like  a  woman  who  hides  the  ugliness 
of  age   beneath  a  showy  dress. 

We  put  up  in  a  room  above  the  gateway,  reached  by  a  narrow 
ladder  stair.  The  basement  was  given  up  to  idols.  But  instead 
of  the  tawdry  images  we  had  grown  used  to,  with  grotesque 
features  staring  at  you  in  ranks  like  dolls  at  a  fair  waiting  the 
day  ot  destruction,  I  was  astonished  to  find  myself  before  deities 
of  a  much  more  venerable  aspect.  On  the  right  was  a  little  old 
figure,  with  a  cowl  like  a  monk's  upon  a  gilded  head  adorned  with 
a  flowing  white  beard.  He  reminded  me  of  Father  Christmas. 
In  the  middle  of  the  altar  was  another,  indistinguishable  save  for 
some  traces  of  a  former  gilded  splendour  in  the  dark  wood  of 
which  he  was  graven.  At  the  feet  of  the  laro;e  ones  were  minor 
divinities,  or  they  may  have  been  priests,  in  a  sort  of  cassock,  and 
black  with  age.  These  austere  gods  seemed  to  watch  with  the 
same  air  of  immovable  disdain  the  damage  of  the  wasting  years, 
while  the  river  without  repeated  in  its  ceaseless  roar  the  unchang- 
ing tale  of  centuries  which  rolled  before  their  feet. 

Naturally,  our  first  care  at   Fey-long-kiao  was  to  put  questions 
regarding   the    route.       The    replies    were    uniformly    discouraging. 

152 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

"  South-west  there  were  roads  leading  into  Burmah," — thank  you 
for  nothing.  To  the  north  ? — There  was  but  one,  and  that 
ascended  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong.  But  in  proportion  as  they 
insisted  that  it  was  impossible  to  travel  by  the  right  bank,  that  the 
country  was  impassable,  perilous,  peopled  by  savages,  so  our  desire 
to  make  the  attempt  increased.  The  farthest  Chinese  village  was 
two  days'  march  north-west  of  Fey-long-kiao.  We  would  attain 
that,  and  then  it  would  be  time  to  see  what  more  could  be  done. 
Anyway,  I  was  determined  to  go  on  till  some  more  real  obstacle 
than  the  fears  of  our  men  should  stop  us. 

As  predicted,  it  took  us  two  days  to  reach  Lao.  We  went  up 
by  a  fairly  good  zigzag  path  over  the  chain  that  divides  the 
Mekong  basin  from  that  of  the  Salwen.  The  first  night  we  halted 
in  a  hut  about  i,ooo  feet  short  of  the  summit.  We  were  astonished 
to  find  here  Manhao,  the  mafou  who  at  Mienning  had  stabbed  the 
makotou.  He  related  that  the  latter,  recovered  of  his  wounds, 
had  gone  back  to  Mongtse  with  Francois,  and  preferred  a  request 
to  be  taken  back  into  our  service.  It  may  be  imagined  what 
reception  I  gave  to  one  who  had  proved  so  ready  with  his  knife. 
Throughout  the  latter  portion  of  our  ascent  we  were  escorted  by 
two  soldiers,  as  a  protection  against  attack  from  Lolo  or  Lissou 
robbers.  I  confess  I  placed  more  reliance  in  my  revolver  than  in 
the  cross-bow  and  trident  which  formed  the  armament  of  our 
warriors.  On  the  col  I  remarked  on  either  side  of  the  path  a 
row  of  small  sharpened  bamboo  stakes  buried  in  the  ground  to 
pierce  the  bare  feet  of  possible  brigands.  The  Mois  of  Annam 
use  a  like  method  of  defence. 

We  dropped  down  into  the  Salwen  basin  between  wooded  hills 
that  sheltered  rare  hamlets.  Round  them  the  fields  under  cultiva- 
tion  were  fenced  with   palisades   of  interlaced  bamboo  against   the 

153 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

incursions  of  wild  animals.  The  fauna  of  the  mountains  was  rich 
in  deer,  chamois,  monkeys,  and  wild  oxen,  but  we  heard  of  no 
tigers. 

We  stopped  at  Lao,  where  the  gaping  crowd  of  Chinese  had  a 
more  cut-throat  look  than  usual.  They  could  give  us  no  clearer 
information  than  at  Fey-long-kiao.  One  route  led  to  the  Salwen, 
which  they  called  the  Cheloung-kiang,  but  it  was  not  possible  to 
go  farther  north  because  of  the  jejeu  (savages).  We  resolved 
to  see  for  ourselves,  and  next  morning  moved  off  slowly,  for  it 
behoved  us  to  be  patient  with  our  mafous,  who,  though  tired,  were 
performing  their  work  well.  The  way  wound  up  the  defile  of  the 
torrent  we  had  begun  to  follow  on  the  day  before  ;  brushwood  and 
boulders  obstructed  the  passage,  and  the  mules  had  to  pick  their 
footing  cleverly  among  the  treacherous  shingle.  At  sundown  the 
column  was  checked  for  half  an  hour  at  an  abrupt  landslip.  The 
makotou,  who  had  been  in  advance,  came  back  with  the  news  that 
the  path  was  choked  by  a  mass  of  rock,  and  that  several  of  the 
animals  had  rolled  down  the  slope.  As  night  was  approaching,  we 
camped  where  we  were,  on  a  bank  of  shale.  Above,  the  mouth 
of  the  gorge  was  dimly  outlined  against  a  triangular  patch  of  sky, 
and  the  dark  bushes  that  lined  the  channel  were  lit  with  dancing 
fireflies.  The  men  beneath  the  sheltering  pack-saddles  talked 
together  in  low  tones  by  the  glare  of  the  fire  till  far  into  the  night, 
while  without  the  circle  of  light  the  shadowy  forms  of  the  mules 
moved  or  lay  among  the  reeds.  Little  by  little  silence  fell  over 
the  camp,   and  the  echoing  torrent  alone  broke  the  stillness. 

Apart  from  the  arduous  nature  of  the  road,  the  day  had  offered 
little  of  incident.  We  had  sighted  some  natives  fishing  down 
stream  with  bamboos,  to  which  a  bunch  of  worms  was  tied  ;  they 
thrust  the   rod   under  the  large  rocks,  and   netted  the  catch   in   an 

154 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

osier  basket  with  tlie  other  hand.  The  fish  thus  landed  averaged 
about  8  inches  long,  the  breast  and  belly  were  broad  and  the  head 
flat,  with  a  wide  mouth  like  a  dog-fish.     The  flesh  was  palatable. 

It  was  on  leaving  the  shingle  camp  that  the  real  struggle 
began  against  obstacles  more  formidable  than  we  had  yet  en- 
countered. The  path  got  worse  and  worse,  and  the  men  had  to 
precede  the  mules,  pick  in  hand,  and  break  a  track  across  the 
shoot  of  rubble  and  loose  stones.  By  this  means  we  won  a  pre- 
carious foothold,  though  in  some  places  the  projecting  crags 
thrust  us  out  over  dangerous  declivities.  Stepping  cautiously  in 
Indian  file,  we  escaped  any  worse  accident  than  the  fall  of  one 
mule,  which  luckily  recovered  itself  unhurt. 

The  valley  flora  was  unlike  that  of  the  5,000-feet  plateaux 
we  had  traversed.  Here  the  trees  had  dense  foliage,  their  lower 
boughs  often  covered  with  fruit  ;  acacias  grew  close,  and  fig-trees 
smothered  in  gigantic  creepers  and  a  broad-leaved  moss.  On 
every  side  were  orchids,  and  ferns  with  spiral  fronds  twining 
round  the  central  stem.  The  prolific  forest  teemed  with  plants 
of  rare  grace  and  tropical  profusion.  But  its  sunless  depths  and 
rank  undergrowth  exhaled  miasma  and  a  fever-laden  moisture  ;  so 
that,  although  the  temperature  was  not  high,  we  perspired  in  the 
damp  heat  at  each  heavy  step,  and  breathed  a  tepid  vapour  that 
made  us  believ'e  the  reputation  for  insalubrity  given  by  the  Chinese 
to  the  valley  of  the  Salwen. 

Our  camp  of  the  29th  (June)  was  still  by  the  torrent.  Our 
men  had  exhausted  their  provisions — a  lesson  to  them  to  be  more 
provident,  and  to  attend  to  our  orders  that  they  should  always 
carry  three  or  four  days'  supplies.  Fortunately,  we  had  a  ham 
and  some  rice  to  share  with  them.  In  the  morning,  as  I  went 
to   bathe    in    the    river,    I    discovered    a    liana    bridge    swung  from 

155 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

two  mighty  trees,  a  tight-rope  dancer's  line  above  the  flood.  A 
wild-looking  being  was  just  about  to  step  on  to  it,  emerging  from 
I  know  not  where.  At  sight  of  me  he  stopped  short  in  startled 
amazement ;  then  abruptly  faced  about,  and,  scrambling  down  the 
left  bank,  plunged  into  the  reeds  and  disappeared.  The  whole 
scene  called  up  before  me  descriptions  I  had  read  of  travellers 
in  South  America,  and  I  pictured  myself  in  for  an  adventure 
with  those  ferocious  savages  of  Aymard,  who  with  snake-like 
glide  and  stealthy  bird-call  creep  upon  you  unawares.  Putting 
aside  fancy,  it  seemed  like  enough  we  should  make  acquaintance 
with  savages.  We  were  now  in  really  undiscovered  country:  no 
European  had   ever  hitherto  penetrated  so  far. 

It  was  near  noon  before  we  debouched  upon  the  valley 
proper  of  the  Salwen,  the  gradients  of  the  sides  being  less  steep 
than  those  of  the  Mekong.  The  Cheloung-kiang,  Lou-kiang, 
or  Salwen,  as  it  is  variously  called,  flows  at  its  base  in  an  aver- 
age breadth  of  1 20  yards ;  its  waters  are  easily  distinguished 
from  those  of  the  Lan-tsang-kiang  (Mekong),  for  while  the  latter 
are  reddish  brown,  the  Salwen's  are  a  dirty  grey.  At  the  point 
where  we  struck  it  the  current  seemed  less  rapid  than  the 
Mekong ;  the  temperature  of  the  water  was  66°  Fahr.  The 
level  of  the  Salwen  is  only  3,087  feet,  or  1,625  ^^^^  lower  than 
the  Mekong.  Without  admitting  a  shallower  depth  than  is  the 
case,  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that  so  great  a  body  of  water  can 
issue  from  so  short  a  course  as  that  indicated  by  the  latest 
English  map  of  Thibet,  published  in  1894.  The  impression  we 
derived  was  of  a  large  river  coming  from  far. 

We  ascended  the  valley  by  a  well-defined  path  to  the  neat 
village  of  Loukou,  built  after  the  Chinese  model.  It  was  girt 
with     maize-fields    guarded    by    palisades     or    mud     walls.        The 

156 


'  ,-# 


yMii.^ 


<.  />Z 


Briffaud  on  the  Liana  Bridge. 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

population  consisted  of  Chinese,  Minchias,  and  Lissous.  The 
natives  are  ruled  by  a  Lissou  toussou.  This  magnate,  after  an 
exchange  of  cards,  invited  us  to  lodge  in  his  house ;  but  we 
preferred  the  open  plain  outside  the  village,  as  the  search  for 
some  missing  mules  necessitated  a  halt  of  two  days  instead  of 
one.  We  made  the  toussou  a  present  of  a  handkerchief,  some 
pictures,  and  a  box  of  powder,  and  he  paid  us  a  visit,  dressed 
in  white  and  with  his  hair  long,  a  sign  of  mourning.  He  was 
a  half-breed,  with  more  of  the  Chinese  than  Lissou  in  him,  and 
of  much  intelligence.  His  family  had  migrated  hither  from 
Setchuen  with  the  coming  of  the  Mings.  To  his  official  occupa- 
tion he  added  that  of  a  trader,  with  thirty  mules  and  six  men 
employed  in  the  traffic  of  salt  from  Yiin-Loung  to  Yiin-tchang 
and  Teng-Yueh.  This  toussou  knew  the  district  well,  and  gave 
us  useful  information  beyond  our  expectation.  He  said  a  path, 
which  though  insignificant  was  practicable,  went  hence  in  a 
northerly  direction.  It  was  confined  for  several  days  to  this 
valley,  trending  first  towards  that  of  the  Mekong  and  afterwards 
back  on  to  the  watershed  between  the  two.  The  route  scaled 
one  high  mountain,  but  without  snow.  For  eight  days'  journey 
we  should  find  subject  Lissous,  then  for  two  or  three  the  jejcii, 
"qui  reguntur  a  nullis  hominibiis  et  vivunt  ut  aniinalia"  as 
Joseph  put  it.  The  friendly  toussou  promised  us  a  letter  to  a 
neighbouring  colleague,  and  provided  us  with  a  guide  who  would 
also  act  as  an  interpreter  among  the  Lissous.  This  new  mem- 
ber of  our  caravan,  who  likewise  served  as  a  mafou,  was  a  tall, 
erect  man,  with  a  marked  aquiline  nose  and  straight-set  eyes ; 
in  his  copper  complexion  he  resembled  a  Redskin.  Among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  village  we  observed  many  who  seemed  to 
have    little    in    common    with    the    yellow    race.     One    woman     I 

159 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

noted  :  she  was  bronzed,  with  a  projecting  brow  and  arched 
eyebrows.  Her  eyes,  instead  of  being  lustreless,  were  deep-set 
and  straight,  and  the  underHd  was  fuller  than  those  of  the 
Chinese.  Her  nose  was  short,  and  wide  at  the  base,  and  her 
face  broad  at  the  temples  and  tapering  to  a  pronounced  chin. 
Her  whole  countenance  denoted  greater  sensibility  and  vivacity 
than  the  Chinese,  and  was  nearer  in  its  general  aspect  to  the 
European  type,  reminding  me  of  gipsies  I  had  seen  in  Russia. 
She  was  a  Lissou. 

The  toussou  gave  us  particulars  about  other  routes.  Accord- 
ing to  him,  there  existed  a  path  by  the  right  bank  of  the 
Salwen,  which  traversed  first  a  large  watercourse  known  as  the 
Long-Song-kiang,  then  the  My-le-kiang,  and  ended  in  the  Long- 
Tchouan-kiang.  It  was  difficult  to  identify  these  rivers.  This 
route  was  peopled  by  the  Lansous,  noted  for  the  beauty  of  their 
women,  and  the  Pou-Mans,  who  live  not  by  agriculture  but  by 
hunting.  We  employed  our  rest  in  questioning  the  guide  as  to 
the  tribe  to  which  he  belonged.  I  studied  the  Lissou  dialect, 
which  resembled  that  of  the  Lochais  and  the  Lolos.  By  his 
account,  the  Lissous  came  here  four(.'')  generations  ago  from 
Nang-king,  which  accorded  with  a  similar  tradition  among  the 
Lolos.  Farther  on  we  were  to  learn  that  the  Lissous  themselves 
spoke  of  a  country  where  they  had  formerly  lived,  where  there 
were  elephants.      They  must,  then,  have  come  from  the  south. 

Our   mules  being  all  collected  by  the  4th   (July),  and  our  men 

rested,    on    the    morning    of  that   date    we    again    moved   forward. 

For   the   whole   of  that   day  we   were   in    the    Salwen  valley ;  now 

above,   now  beside   the  river.      Few  people  were  to  be  seen,  and 

little   cultivation ;    rice,    maize,    and    cotton    in    flower,    which    must 

be  annual,    as  the  plants   were  little   more   than  a  foot  high.      In 

160 


FROM   TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

all  directions  were  strewn  limestone  fragments  amid  scanty  herbage, 
with  here  and  there  a  cactus  to  give  the  scene  a  likeness  to  Africa. 
The  river  alternated  between  broad  reaches  lapping  sandy  bars 
and  foaming  rapids  like  the  Mekong.  The  spectacle  formed  by 
the  misty  spray  of  the  cataracts  was  grand  in  the  extreme.  The 
Salwen  bore  down  on  its  bosom  large  trunks  of  trees  which,  caught 
in  the  eddies,  or  held  in  the  backwaters,  accumulated  in  every 
creek.      The  water  had  begun  to  rise. 

We  continued  on  the  5th  (July)  the  ascent  of  the  same  well- 
wooded  valley,  passing  a  Lissou  village,  Oumelan,  where  the  house- 
walls  were  chiefly  composed  of  horizontal  logs,  to  which  were  hooked 
wicker  hen-roosts,  and  small  wooden  shelters  for  the  pigs  ;  the  lofts 
were  raised  upon  piles.  On  one  post  I  perceived  a  coarse  white 
drawing  of  a  quartered  bird,  no  doubt  intended,  as  among  the 
Hou-Nis,  to  ward  off  evil  spirits.  To  our  request  for  chickens, 
answer  was  returned  that  there  were  none.  As  they  were  running 
about  in  all  directions,  some  moral  suasion,  backed  by  money,  was 
required  to  overcome  the  scruples  of  the  owners.  The  site  of  our 
camp  would  appear  to  have  been  a  common  one  for  wayfarers  from 
the  smoke-blackened  rocks.  We  were  in  a  clearing  beside  a 
leaping  cascade  ;  behind,  on  the  slope,  rose  a  monster  tree,  whose 
roots  served  as  an  arbour,  and  whose  twigs  made  our  couch.  In 
one  corner  Nam  established  his  kitchen,  by  the  light  of  a  lamp  of 
antique  shape  ;  a  little  farther  Chantzeu,  curled  up  among  the  roots, 
sought  oblivion  of  the  world  in  opium  ;  below,  the  mafous  were 
stretched  beside  the  packs.  Under  a  white  covering  Sao  nodded 
over  his  pipe,  and  as  he  dreamed  of  the  palms  of  Tonkin  probably 
consigned  the  whole  celestial  race  to  perdition — a  sentiment  which 
I  could  cordially  indorse.  By  the  water's  edge  some  logs  irom  the 
mafous'  fire  still  flickered,  showing  the  philosophic  Fa  coiled  in  a 
L  161 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA     . 

hollow  tree  which  he  had  selected  for  his  bed.  The  mules  were 
allowed  to  stray  among  the  scattered  herbage,  under  the  guard  of 
three  mafous,  who,  having  fired  their  pieces  into  the  air  to  scare  the 
wild  beasts,  straightway  went  to  sleep.  We  slumbered  under  the 
protection  of  the  gods,  in  the  shape  of  three  painted  images  on  a 
stone  in  a  niche,  before  which  remnants  of  egg-shells,  feathers,  and 
a  few  white  rags  fluttering  on  the  bushes  bore  sacrificial  witness 
to  their  holy  character.  We  felt  almost  as  barbaric  as  their 
worshippers. 

Heavy  rain  woke  us  in  the  night,  and  did  not  abate  with 
daylight.  We  were  now  entering  the  rainy  season,  and  had  a 
pleasant  prospect  for  the  next  few  weeks. 

6th  (July). — Still  threading  the  Salwen  valley.  We  passed  out 
of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  toussou  of  Loukou  into  that  of  Ketsouy, 
a  miserable  village,  where  actually  the  chief  was  absent.  But  his 
wife  attempted  to  supply  his  authority  with  considerable  urbanity, 
and  sent  us  eggs  and  goats  gratis.  Apropos  of  toussous,  we  learned 
that  the  dignity  is  hereditary,  and  in  default  of  direct  heir  a 
successor  is  chosen  from  among  the  other  members  of  the  family. 
As  in  the  province  of  Yunnan,  he  receives  rents  from  his  subjects, 
but  nothing  from  the  Chinese  Government.  Every  year  he  must 
remit  an  impost  in  kind,  or  some  articles  of  value,  to  an  itinerant 
Imperial  functionary,  or  attend  in  person  at  Tali  for  the  purpose. 

Another  day  on  the  7th  (July)  of  the  same  work,  up  hill  and 
down  dale.  The  valley  was  tortuous,  and  we  were  occasionally 
high  enough  to  get  superb  views  ;  the  course  presented  similar  bold 
features  to  those  of  the  Red  River.  The  ridges  dividing  the 
tributary  gullies  were  of  limestone  origin,  and  scarred  the  face  of  the 
valley  with  crags  and  cavities,  often  encroaching  on  the  bed  of  the 

stream  with  grey  seamed  brows  draped  with  bushes.      But  the  clouds 

163 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 


hung  low  and  hid  the  peaks.  The  conditions  were  unfavourable  to 
photography,  and  we  passed,  a  draggled  train,  through  the  Lissou 
village  of  Oua-ma-ti,  where  the  men  wore  their  hair  in  pigtails  and 
the  women  in  two  small  horns  above  the  ears.  The  bad  weather 
lent  our  troop  a 
strange  appearance. 
Sao's  get-up,  a  motley 
of  European  and  An- 
namite  equipment,  was 
highly  grotesque.  On 
his  head  was  a  wide 
Chinese  straw,  on  his 
body  a  shrunken  blue 
jacket  made  in  Tonkin, 
and  on  his  legs  a  pair 
of  my  old  pantaloons. 
The  shoes  and  gaiters 
I  had  given  him  made 
him  a  groom  in  his 
lower  extremities, 
while  revolver,  gun, 
and  bandolier  trans- 
formed him  into  a 
soldier  above.  Add 
to    this     the    scientific 

air  lent  by  my  photographic  apparatus  on  his  mule,  covered  with 
a  yellow  mantle,  and  at  a  distance  it  would  have  been  hard  to 
sa)-  what  he  was. 

Stress  of  weather  made  us  glad  of  the  shelter  of  a  hamlet  called 

Lotsolo,   in  the  midst  of  maize  and  indigo  culture.      Here  the  men 

16:; 


Lissou  Woman. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

wore  Chinese  garb.  The  women  had  a  dress  with  parti-coloured 
sleeves,  'an  armtess  waistcoat,  blue  with  minute  white  checks  and  a 
brown  border,  and  an  apron  and  broad  sash.  Their  costume  was 
completed  by  a  turban  of,  in  some  cases,  a  blue  and  red  scarf, 
frino-ed  with  cowries.  Almost  all  had  small  coral  ear-rings,  said 
to  be  peculiar  to  these  Lissous,  who  were  known  as  Koua-Lissous 
(Lissous  of  colour,  cf  back,  Koua-Lolos),  in  distinction  from  the 
Ain-I.issous  of  Loukou.  Some  of  these  women  were  not  bad- 
looking.  One  girl  we  caught  sight  of  with  quite  regular  features, 
and  in  the  morning  she  was  induced  for  a  few  needles  to  parade  for 
our  inspection.      She  answered  to  the  gentle  name  of  Lou-Meo. 

At  Lotsolo  we  met  with  a  good  reception,  and  I  began  to  feel 
quite  friendh'  with  the  Lissous,  of  whom  we  had  heard  such 
alarming  accounts.  I  went  into  one  of  their  houses,  and  found  the 
occupants  squatted  round  the  fire  warming  tchaotiou,  a  rice  spirit 
of  which  they  are  great  connoisseurs.  They  had  never  seen  a 
Yangjen  (European)  before,  nor  yet  mules  ;  our  arrival  therefore 
was  an  event  which  they  celebrated  as  a  fete.  They  invited  me  to 
drink,  and  we  observed  a  custom  here  which  we  met  with  farther 
on.  Two  people  quaff  together  out  of  a  two-handled  bamboo 
vessel.  Each  holds  one  handle  and  incites  the  other  to  imbibe 
more  than  himself.  This  mutual  loving-cup  is  regarded  as  a  pledge 
of  amity  and  alliance.  In  answer  to  my  questions,  the  natives 
could  not  recollect  hearing  of  their  tribe  having  come  here  trom 
elsewhere.  They  knew  the  Lolos  possessed  a  writing,  but  they 
themselves  had  none.  A  curious  marriage  custom  is  observed 
among  them.  The  wedding  feast  over,  at  nightfall  the  betrothed 
retires  with  her  parents  into  the  mountain,  and  the  swain  has  to 
seek  them  ;  which  quest  successfully  achieved,  the  parents  withdraw, 
and  the  newly-wedded  couple  remain  till  morning  upon  the  hillside, 

164 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

when  they  return  to  their  homes.  They  have  to  repeat  this 
ceremony  for  three  nights  before  they  may  settle  down.  This 
custom  naturally  precludes  any  marriages  during  the  rains.  They 
admitted  in  confidence  that  the  bridegroom  was  generally  in  the 
secret  as  to  the  direction  in  which  he  might  find  his  party.  Joseph 
recounted  a  like  custom  as  prevailing  among  the  Lolos  of  Lower 
Viinnan  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Yangtze. 

On  leaving  Lotsolo  we  at  last  quitted  the  valley  of  the 
Salwen  for  one  of  its  affluents,  by  a  slippery  path,  which  often 
called  for  the  services  of  the  pick.  A  light  rain  continued  to 
fall,  and  I  pitied  the  mafous,  whose  toil  was  severe.  To  add 
to  our  discomfort  at  night  we  were  tormented  by  clouds  of 
mosquitoes,   that  effectually  murdered  sleep. 

On  the  gth  (July)  we  held  on  our  upward  course.  The  men, 
accustomed  to  fine  weather,  seemed  down-hearted,  and  scarcely 
one  of  them  was  capable  of  good  collar-work,  so  that  they  loaded 
up  in  dejected  silence,  which  boded  ill  for  the  harder  times 
vet  in  store.  Some  distance  from  our  camping  ground  we  came 
on  a  really  bad  bit  of  path,  where  we  had  to  scale  a  veritable 
rock  stair.  It  took  three  mafous  to  hold  up  each  mule,  and  one 
of  the  latter  having  been  arduously  hauled  to  the  top,  took  it 
into  his  head  to  try  and  re-descend.  He  lost  his  footing,  and  in 
a  moment  was  rolling  head  first  down  the  declivity  with  his  load 
bumping  at  his  sides.  The  fall  looked  fatal,  and  we  made  our 
way  to  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  expecting  to  find  him  in  pieces. 
There  he  was,  however,  miraculously  sound,  save  for  some  cuts 
and  scratches.  The  example  seemed  contagious :  first  one  and 
then  another  went  down,  till  four  had  followed  suit,  and  we 
began  to  wonder  if  it  would  be  our  turn  next  :  it  was  perilous 
to  stay  in  a  valley  where  it  thus  rained  mules.      We  had  to    turn 

165 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

all  hands  into  mafous,  ourselves  included,  and  by  dint  of  great 
exertions,  and  forming  a  chain  to  pass  the  scattered  contents  of 
the  packs  from  hand  to  hand,  we  eventually  picked  all  the  cases 
out  of  the  bushes  and  torrent  and  got  them  to  the  top,  where 
we  were  rewarded  by  finding  that  the  rest  of  the  animals  had 
strayed  into  the  woods  ;  where  most  of  them  passed  the  night. 
These  contretemps  meant  a  short  stage  and  much  grumbling, 
hardly  allayed  by  a  ration  of  tchaotiou.  The  next  day  was 
therefore  devoted  to  a  rest,  and  to  preparations  for  climbing  the 
mountain  which  reared  itself  before  us.  We  also  got  out  our 
thick  clothes,  for  it  might  have  been  winter,  and  we  longed  to 
reach  a  less  rigorous  climate. 

On  the  iith  (July)  we  made  an  early  start,  as  the  ascent  had 
been  described  to  us  as  hardly  to  be  accomplished  in  one  day. 
Also  our  guns  and  carbines  came  out  of  their  cases,  in  readiness 
for  the  savages  who  were  said  to  be  likely  to  assail  us  half-way. 

The    road    at    first    entered    a    forest,   and  though  the  gradient 

was  steep  it  was  less  severe  than   I   had   expected,  and  the  mules 

got  on  fairly  well.     The  woods  were  beautiful,  and  reminded    me 

of  some    parts    of   Thibet ;  the    mighty    boles    were  hidden  under 

a     coat    of    moss,    and    the    long    grey    beards    that    hung    from 

their   boughs    seemed    a  mark  of  venerable  age.     At  the  base  of 

some    we    found   small    altars  formed   of   branches,   erected  by  the 

superstition    of    the     Lissous    to    ward    off    evil   spirits.       As    we 

mounted,   the  trees  grew  more  stunted  and  gnarled,  and  presently 

gave  place  to  lean  bamboos  overtopped  by  Alpine  larches.      Here 

and  there  I  was  surprised  to  notice  fine  magnolias  side  by  side  with 

the  red  and  white  bark  of   the  wild  cherry.       At  the  end  of  four 

hours,  during  which,  notwithstanding  the  prevalent  moisture,  we  had 

not  found  a  spring,   we  came  out  upon  the  grass    of   the  summit. 

1 66 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

We  had  ascended  so  far  faster  than  we  had  anticipated,  and  with- 
out hindrance  from  other  sources  than  those  of  nature.  A  report 
had  spread  among  the  Lissous  that  we  were  devils,  and  so  we 
were  respected.  On  the  col  we  were  at  an  altitude  of  i  1,463  feet, 
and  astride  the  watershed  between  the  basins  of  the  Mekongr 
and  the   Salwen. 

The  pass  as  well  as  the  mountain  is  called  Fou-kou-kouane, 
in  Lissou  dialect  Lamakou,  the  "Gate  of  the  Tiger."  A  post 
consisting  of  a  few  Lissous  dignified  with  the  name  of  soldiers 
occupied  a  bamboo  shanty,  ostensibly  to  ensure  the  safety  of 
the  route,  which  was  further  guarded  on  either  side  by  the 
buried  bamboo  splinters  before  described.  The  crest  was  marked 
by  scarred  and  jagged  rocks,  amid  which  the  track  led  on  to  a 
small  plateau  covered  with  long  grasses,  where  the  rich  flora 
testified  to  a  constant  dampness.  I  saw  two  beautiful  species  of 
lily,  white  and  red,  myosotis,  yellow  ranunculus,  sage,  and  several 
kinds    of   orchids.      We    did   not     iind    here    the    short  orrass  usual 

o 

■on    high     summits,     nor    any     gnaphalium.      We     pitched     at     the 

head    of   a    green    slope    on    a    narrow    shelf   overtopped  by  a  big 

rock,   from   which,   when    I   climbed   it  in   the  rain,  the  caravan  was 

so  entirely  hidden  by  the  high  grass  that  no  one    passing    within 

thirty    yards    would   have    suspected    that  the  grey  mass  sheltered 

fifteen  men.      The  weather  was  execrable ;  we  were  in  the  clouds  ; 

the    thermometer    stood   at    50°  Fahr.,  and  it   was  hard   to  believe 

is  was  July. 

Ne.xt    morning    the    men    were    depressed  ;     they    had    no    idea 

of  bearing    up    against    external     influences,    and     the    route    was 

resumed    in    silence.      After  proceeding   a   short   distance  we   came 

to  a  stream   running  into  a  pool,   whose  rim    lipped   the   base  of  a 

•cliff.      Taking    it    as    a    guide,    we    turned    aside,    and    after   a   few 

167 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

steps  found  ourselves  confronted  by  a  stupendous  wall  of  black 
and  grey  seamed  rock,  which  stretched  above  us  and  below. 
The  rivulet,  leaping  in  cascades  from  stone  to  stone,  bored 
through  a  fissure  in  the  scarp,  and  disclosed  a  recess  in  shape 
like  the  prison  of  Dionysius'  Ear.  Peering  into  the  entrance, 
we  discovered  a  vaulted  cavern,  under  which  the  water  ran  over 
a  bed  of  white  pebbles.  Scared  by  our  intrusion,  birds  of  blue 
plumage  Hew  out  into  the  retreats  of  the  mountain.  The  spot 
had  an  air  of  wild  crrandeur,  which  sugorested  some  subterranean 
home  of  primitive  man  ;  but  here  was  no  trace  of  humanity.  In 
China  such  a  cave  would  have  been  decorated  with  statues  of 
Buddha.  Instead,  the  adornment  was  by  Nature's  hand:  grey 
rocks  strewn  upon  verdant  mounds,  thickets  of  shapely  rhodo- 
dendrons, larches  with  their  horizontal  boughs  dark  below  and 
vivid  green  aloft.  A  veritable  faery  ring,  and  spot  of  witchery  ;  the 
scene  it  might  have  been  of  some  Walpurgis  revel,  with  its  environ- 
ment of  high  mountains,  deep  woods,  and  quaint  rocks,  with  the 
chasm  dimlv  descried  in   the  mist,   and  over  all  a  sense  of  awe. 

From  here  the  route  was  a  descent  ;  at  intervals  posts,  with 
cross  pieces  marked  with  notches,  indicated  the  whereabouts  in 
the  undergrowth  of  the  sharpened  stakes,  but  these  in  the  dark 
would  have  been  invisible.  As  there  is  no  writing  among  the 
Lissous,  they  adopt  the;  following  method  of  conveying  their 
messages  or  transacting  business  :  —  For  a  contract  between  two- 
parties,  they  take  two  bits  of  wood  about  12  inches  long  by  i^ 
inch  wide,  care  being  had  that  they  should  be  identical  in 
all  points,  and  cut  on  each  face  a  similar  number  of  notches, 
generally  a  little  larger  on  one  side  than  the  other. 
The     '^  nioukc^"     as     the      Chinese     call      this     tally,      is     thus     a 

reminder.       Each    notch   signifies   a    word   or  phrase.      In   cases  of 

168 


FROM   TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

an  agreement  made  before  witnesses,  should  one  of  the  contract- 
ing parties  break  a  clause,  the  other  may  call  upon  him  to 
produce  a  "  inoukd"  and  verify  it  in  presence  of  witnesses.  If 
used  as  a  letter,  the  messenger  must  repeat  the  meaning  of  each 
notch.      Here  are  two  examples  : — 

No.  1  "  nioukc^"  has  reference  to  a  Lissou  custom.  A  thief  has 
been  e.xpelled  from  a  village  ;  a  residence  is  assigned  him  under 
the  patronage  of  someone  who  will  be  answerable  for  him. 

'' Moiilu'"  (i). 


The  toussou  has  said   .    . 


if  you  have  a  [jatron    .    .     ^ 


you  may  dwell  in  this  phice   . 


.    .    The  toussou  has  warned  nie  off 
.    .    and  forliidden 


to  dwell  in  this  place 
because  I  have  robbed 
he  is  always  stealing  mules  and 
horses. 


A   and  C  are  spaces  on  the  board  representing  the  arbitrator. 
/>   represents  the  patron. 


-iWoiikc"  (2). 


\ 

S 

.    .    The  toussou  has  given  (me) 

s 

,    .    to  me  .  .  .  (here  follows  name 

of  bearer) 

s 

.    .    his  daughter 

s 

.    eldest  (or  2nd,  3rd,  etc.) 

s 

.    .    to  wife 

s 
s 

.    .    age  of  wife  in  years 

„            „      months 
clays 

.    date  of  her  birth. 

V:,,.,.     ^ 

169 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

After  this  digression  let  us  resume.  In  the  afternoon  we 
entered  woods  of  pine  and  hohn  oak,  the  latter  a  speciality 
among  the  trees  of  Thibet.  At  night  the  men  made  a  great 
fire,  for  there  was  no  stint  of  fuel,  and  a  picturesque  oval- 
shaped  camp  was  formed  round  it,  while  we  took  a  long  rest 
before  the  morrow. 

13th  ([uly).  • — Descent  continued;  we  shortly  sighted  the 
Mekong  again  running  in  discoloured  rapids.  Coming  so  recently 
from  the  Salwen,  it  seemed  small,  and  its  valley  more  confined 
and  less  green  than  the  latter.  Hamlets,  with  a  few  rice-fields, 
began  to  appear,  and  near  them  large  drying  stacks  like  gibbets. 
We  stopped  in  the  Minchia  village  of  Piao-tsen,  surrounded  by 
a  white  mud  wall  with  half-demolished  flanking  bastions.  When 
we  entered  the  enclosure  there  were  but  few  houses  to  be  seen, 
and  the  ground  was  chiefly  occupied  by  tobacco  plantations. 
Here  we  were  only  a  three-days'  foot  journey  from  Fey-long- 
kiao  ;  but  I  did  not  regret  the  elbow  we  had  made,  since  it  had 
allowed  of  our  e.xploring  the  Salwen,  and  deriving  much  useful 
information  towards  the  solution  of  an  important  geographical 
problem. 

At  Piao-tsen  we  installed  ourselves  in  a  pagoda,  and  here  we 
celebrated  the  Fourteenth  of  July  with  a  sweet  omelette  and 
cigars.  For  eighteen  days  we  had  not  seen  what  the  Chinese 
term  a  la  iifan,  or  place  of  any  size,  and  our  regaining  a  little 
more  comfort  was  the  signal  for  four  of  our  men  to  abandon  us. 
I  made  no  attempt  to  prevent  them  ;  our  troop  must  weed  itself 
out  into  the  survival  of  the  fittest  for  the  still  more  arduous 
work  remaining.  Among  the  deserters  was  Chantzeu,  a  man 
who  had  been  with  us  ever  since  Mongtse,  and  who  had  had 
less  toil  and    more    indulgence    than    the  others.       We    had    been 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

particularly  good  to  him,  giving  him  more  pay  than  he  was 
entitled  to  ;  and  yet  here,  in  the  prospect  of  increased  labour,  the 
ungrateful  hound  left  us  without  even  a  word  of  parting.  The 
makotou  continued  to  a^ive  us  satisfaction,  and,  after  two  davs' 
suffering  from  what  we  at  one  time  feared  to  be  a  whitlow,  was 
now  nearly  fit  again.      The  only  fault   to   be   found   with   him  was 


V, 


'"^m^. 


'^^M^.'f^' 


'  /f.a-^y 


Attachment  of  Cord  Bridge  at   I'iao-tsen. 


his  inability  to  make  the  mafous  obey   him  ;    when  they  refused  a 
task,   he  did   it  himself 

The  defection  was  supplied  by  four  Minchias,  and  we  were 
aeain  able  to  set  forward.  As  we  left  Piao-tsen  we  saw  the 
first  cord  bridge  over  the  Mekong.  It  was  constructed  of  two 
hawsers  of  twisted  bamboo,  made  fast  to  a  stake  on  either  bank, 
propped  by  big  stones.  For  the  crossing  a  small  wooden  saddle, 
called  liou-pang,  was  attached  to  a  running  line  {/iou-so).  and 
the   person   secured   in   it  by  leg  and  shoulder  straps.      It  behoved 

171 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

you  to  keep  your  hands  clasped  on  the  saddle,  clear  of  the 
friction  of  the  rope.  Once  mounted  and  set  in  motion,  it  was  a 
slide   down    one    side,    and   a   ])ull   and   scramble   up   the   other   by 


Mode  i)(  Crossing  on  a  Single-line  Bridge. 

hands  and  feet.      1  n  some  narrow  channels  there  is  a  double  cable, 

and  it  may  be  done  at  a  single  rush.      But  at  Piao-tsen  the  crossing 

took  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  a  considerable  expenditure  of  energy. 

We  held  on   our  way  up   the   right   shore  of  the   Mekong,  and 

172 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSP:K0U 

this  continued  for  more  than  a  month.  The  scenery  in  the  valley 
was  remarkable.  In  one  bend,  where  there  was  opposite  a  small 
military  outpost,  the  red-tinged  river  made  a  regular  series  of 
serpentines,  above  which  the  path  clung  to  the  cornice  of  the  cliff, 
whence  we  looked  across  to  a  barren  mountain-side  streaked  with 
many-coloured  strata,  like  a  painter's  palette.  This  blending  of 
desolation  and  rich  tones  was  the  despair  of  the  photographer.  It 
reminded  me,  as  well  as  the  others,  of  certain  aspects  of  Africa. 

In  the  evening  Joseph  explained  to  me  the  meaning  of  some 
little  withered  firs  we  had  noticed  stuck  before  the  houses.  The 
tree  is  planted  on  the  ist  of  January  as  a  sign  of  gladness,  and 
is  supposed  to  bring  luck  and  money.  They  call  it  lao-tieti-chon 
(the  tree  that  shakes  the  sapecks).  This  Chinese  custom  recalls 
the  European   Christmas-tree. 

On  the  15th  (July)  we  halted  in  a  village  called  Tono.  The 
inhabitants  designated  themselves  Tonos.  This  was  a  tribe  we 
had  not  j-et  encountered.  Their  dress  was  Chinese  ;  but  their 
eyes  were  wrinkled  and  their  faces  wider  than  the  Chinese. 
Questioned  by  us,  they  professed  to  be  the  only  ones  of  their 
clan,  and  that  their  ancestors  had  come  here  a  lone  time  back  ■ 
their  dialect  was  akin  to  the  Lissou.  Their  reception  was 
friendlv,  but  their  information  untrustworthy  :  accordino-  to 
them  it  would  be  impossible  to  proceed  with  mules  on  this  side 
of  the  Mekong.  As  only  that  very  morning  our  caravan  had 
by  making  a  detour  successfully  circumvented  an  apparently 
insurmountable  obstacle  of  projecting  rock,  we  were  not  likely  to 
be  deterred  by  their  reports.  Before  quitting  the  Tonos  I  took 
a  few  photographs  of  the  crowd  that  surrounded  us.  I  have 
rarely  seen  a  collection  of  types  so  hideous :  the  group  might 
have     stood     for    models     in     a     picture    of    criminals     in     Hades. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Squint-eyed,  goitred,  toothless,  here  a  wen  and  there  a  tumour, 
no  single  deformity  was  lacking  for  the  caricature.  The  very 
children  were  horrible.  One  little  object  waddled  alone  ;  we 
gave  him  a  handful  of  rice  ;  he  retreated  gravely,  turning  from 
time  to  time  towards  us  a  bulbous  head  with  bulging  eyes — a 
perfect  little  monster.  A  hoary  old  man  with  shaven  pate, 
deprived  of  his  queue,  leaned  his  fleshless  claw  upon  a  crutch, 
and  watched  us  with  a  fixed  regard,  half  hidden  by  his  over- 
hanging lids.  His  nose  touched  his  chin,  and  he  was  micro- 
cephalous. We  did  not  linger  among  such  a  repulsive  company. 
For  a  new  tribe  it  was  a  very  disreputable  one. 

17th  (July). — The  march  was  without  incident  yesterday  and 
to-day,  always  skirting  the  hill  or  the  river,  into  which  one  mule 
fell,  but  a  few  blows  with  the  pick  given  by  the  makotou  in 
advance  generally  rendered  the  passage  wide  enough  for  the 
animals.  On  the  next  day  we  had  to  engage  four  or  five 
villagers  to  help  our  men ;  our  gang  thus  beginning,  without 
remuneration  from  the  Imperial  Government,  the  hard  labour 
of  road-making  which  was  to  continue  for  a  long  distance.  We 
met  some  P^-Lissous  speaking  the  same  tongue  as  the  Ain- 
Lissous,  but  seeming  less  of  Chinese.  Joseph  said  that  the 
P^-Lissous  are  pure  bred  and  indigenous.  Men  and  women 
alike  were  swarthy  ;  the  former  clad  in  a  long  white  overcoat 
embellished  with  sort  of  epaulettes,  descending  to  the  knees  and 
often  fitting  close  to  the  figure.  Some  among  them  had  long- 
swords  with'  straight  blades  wide  at  the  end — their  only  dangerous 
part ;  they  carried  them  in  a  section  of  a  wooden  sheath.  The 
women  were  often  naked  to  the  waist  and  of  statuesque  pro- 
portions ;  they  had  a  little  hempen  skirt  and  a  Chinese  cap 
decked    with    cowries  and   round    white   discs,    which   were   said    to 

174 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

be  brought  from  Thibet,  and  looked  to  me  as  if  cut  out  of 
large  shells.  The  greater  number  of  them  wore  collars  of  plaited 
straw,  mother-of-pearl,  agate,  or  red  and  blue  beads,  apparently 
of  English  manufacture.  Both  sexes  always  smoked  pipes.  The 
Lissous  are  very  fond  of  tobacco  and  spirits.  I  noticed  several  of 
the  men  and  even  one  woman  with  an  earthen  flask  slung  round 
their  necks,  from  which  they  constantly  took  a  pull  ;  the  result 
was  to  make  them  very  loquacious.  I  thought  of  the  probable 
effect  on  these  ignorant  people  of  the  introduction  of  civilisation 
with  its  vices  ;  and  what  a  fine  field  for  extermination  with  bad 
whisky  the  English  would  have  among  them,  as  with  the 
Redskins  of  North  America  in  the  past. 

We  camped  near  the  village  of  Tatsasu,  having  been  hindered 
by  an  incident  on  the  way.  A  pallid,  evil-looking  individual 
had  persisted  in  dogging  us,  and  made  an  attempt  to  turn  one 
of  our  mules  aside  into  another  path,  with  the  probable  intention 
of  stealing  it,  when  the  makotou  and  Joseph  detected  him  and 
promptly  haled  him  off  to  the  headman  of  the  village.  But  that 
functionary  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter,  so  they 
brought  the  culprit  back  to  camp,  and  we  ordered  him  to  be 
bound.  Fa  surpassed  himself  in  the  job,  and  trussed  him  up 
like  a  bale,  with  his  hands  behind  his  back  and  a  guy-rope  to 
his  pigtail.  While  this  human  bundle  lay  upon  the  ground,  an  old 
man  appeared  from  the  village  and  claimed  him  as  his  child.  After 
some  discussion  we  yielded  up  our  captive  to  him,  with  the  pro- 
mise that  it  he  crossed  our  path  again  we  would  heave  him  over 
the  edge  without  fail.  The  aged  parent  placed  his  inert  offspring 
on  his  shoulders,   and  thus  loaded  hobbled  oft'  to  the  village. 

Tatsasu  is  a  dependence  of  Li-kiang,  and  is  governed  by 
two    chiefs — a    Minchia    and     a     Lissou     toussou.       They    sent    us 

1/5 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


1/ 


'^' 


"  Kagle  Beak.' 


rice,  eggs,  and  a  packet  of  tobacco,  which  was  a  great  gift  for 
them,  and  a  small  flask  of  tchaotiou.  The  last  was  protected 
by  a  cover  of  finely-plaited  hide,  very  secure. 

After    Tatsasu    the    road    became    worse    again.       We    thought 

regretfully  of  the 
comparative  ease 
with  which  un- 
encumbered horse 
or  foot  men  with 
porters  would  ac- 
complish three 
times  the  length  of 
our  stage  in  a 
day.  A  single  rock 
would  sometimes 
cause  an  hour's 
delay  or  a  mile 
of  detour  to  our 
pack  animals,  with 
an  unload  and  carry 
in  between.  On 
the  other  hand,  the 
natives  of  this 
region,  who  had 
been  depicted  to  us 
in  such  threatening  colours,  proved  willing  to  help  for  slender 
recompense.  At  this  toil  a  big  Lissou  mafou,  engaged  at 
Loukou,  and  whom,  from  his  profile,  we  called  "  Eagle  Beak," 
worked  harder  than   any.      Strong   as  a  Turk,  he   always   marched 

barefoot,    and     with     tobacco    and    an    occasional    nip    of     brandy 

176 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

declared  himself  perfectly  content  to  see  new  country.  As  for 
the  last-joined  Minchias  from  Piao-tsen,  they  were  green  hands, 
afraid  if  they  went  far  that  they  would  not  find  their  way  back, 
— "Sunt  rustici,"    quoth  Joseph. 

After  every  portage  a  rest  was  imperative  ;  if  we  did  six 
or  eight  miles  in  the  day  we  thought  ourselves  fortunate. 
Nor  was  this  valley  of  the  Mekong  anything  but  monotonous, 
with  its  arid  slopes,  grey  rocks,  pine-clad  ridges,  and  everlasting 
murmur  of  the  great  red  river  in  its  bed.  I  found  my  distraction 
in  observing  the  habits  of  our  own  men  and  of  the  villagers.  In 
these  parts  we  saw  some  variety  in  the  female  costume  ;  a  pleated 
skirt  down  to  the  knee,  like  the  Lolos  of  .Setchuen,  a  small  blue 
and  white  apron,  short  dark  blue  broidered  jacket  open  in  front, 
and  often  a  heavy  turban  in  place  of  the  little  white  disc'd  cap. 
Not  far  from  the  village  of  Lakouti  we  were  pursued  by  a  ragged 
old  man  wearino-  a  larije  necklace  of  brown  wooden  beads,  to 
which  were  fastened  a  bell  and  a  bronze  medallion.  This  strange 
being  stopped  us  with  much  gesticulation,  and,  falling  on  his 
knees,  addressed  me  in  a  long  speech  with  many  queer  inter- 
jections. He  said  the  inhabitants  were  indigent  Lolos  {sic)  from 
whom  he  could  not  ask  anything,  but  that  we  ought  to  give  him 
an  alms.  It  appeared  that  the  poor  old  mendicant  was  the  priest 
of  Lakouti.  Religion  seemed  ill  paid  in  this  locality.  It  certainly 
was  reduced  to  simple  elements  ;  for  we  learned  that  the  Lissous 
worship   Heaven  and   Earth,   and  have  few  rites. 

In  the  evening  we  arrived  near  a  little  hamlet  hidden  in  a 
hollow,  from  which  the  inhabitants,  each  uglier  than  the  other, 
came  out  and  prostrated  themselves  before  us  repeatedly.  Our 
advent  seemed  to  have  greatly  alarmed  them.  One  ol  these 
Lissous  bore  upon   his  breast  a  cuirass  made  of  bark  bound  round 

M  1/7 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

him  by  a  sash.  He  was  announced  as  a  "brave," — euphemistic  for 
brigand,  I  imagine.  As  we  set  out,  we  noticed  by  the  side  of  the 
path  two  posts  with  cross  arms,  joined  by  a  chain  of  bamboo  links, 
on  the  off  arm  a  rough  wooden  bow,  on  the  near  one  a  sword  ;  sup- 
posed to  represent  armed  men  guarding  the  village  from  sickness. 

During  the  day  we  passed  through  the  extensive  village  of 
Feoumoto.  The  inhabitants  were  Lamasjen,  also  called  Petsen, 
with  a  dialect  similar  to  the  Minchia.  Opposite,  on  the  left  bank, 
we  perceived  the  little  town  of  Yiim-pan-kai,  whose  white  houses 
and  grey-gabled  roofs  bespoke  it  Chinese.  Although  connected 
with  Feoumoto  by  a  cord  bridge,  we  preferred  to  keep  the  river 
between  us. 

At  daybreak  we  discovered  that  two  of  Roux's  valises,  left 
uncorded  near  his  tent,  were  gone.  The  thieves  had  also  relieved 
Chantzeu's  successor  of  a  packet  of  opium,  and  —  a  far  more 
serious  loss- — had  abstracted  from  close  by  his  head  the  theodolite. 
We  found  its  case  at  a  little  distance.  The  "Doctor"  was  in 
despair.  It  was  not  the  value  of  the  instrument  we  regretted, 
but  the  impossibility  of  continuing  his  astronomical  and  magnetic 
observations.  Our  suspicions  pointed  to  the  villagers,  who  were 
prowling  round  the  camp  during  the  night.  We  summoned  the 
headman,  and  promised  him  a  reward  if  the  things  were  restored, 
and  threatened  him  with  a  complaint  to  Li-kiang  In  the  contrary 
event.  The  inhabitants,  meanwhile,  remained  placidly  seated  on 
a  hillock  watching  us.  In  the  afternoon  we  resolved  to  go  in 
person  to  the  village  of  Tchen-ki-oue.  We  went  armed,  and  took 
with  us  Joseph  and  Fa.  The  chief  replied,  with  some  justice, 
that  our  arrival  on  the  previous  evening  had  not  been  formally 
notified  to  him,  and  that,  in  consequence,  he  had  been  unable  to 
take    precautions    to    guard     us    against    robbers,    with    which    the 

178 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

district  was  infested.  Our  sole  chance  seemed  to  rest  in  a 
sufificiently  big  reward ;  but  against  this  was  to  be  set  their 
ignorance  of  European  promises  as  opposed  to  Chinese. 

After  a  whole  day's  delay,  without  any  success,  we  had  to 
go  on  our  way.  The  theodolite  was  irrevocably  lost  before  it 
could  become  historic.  Poor  theodolite!  After  having-  travelled 
to  Yola  on  the  Benoue  and  the  Adamaoua  ;  after  having  assisted 
in  the  French  conquest  of  the  Soudan  ;  after  being  carried 
into  Asia  to  complete  investigations  northward  of  Garnier's,  it 
deserved  a  better  fate  than  to  become  the  pipe-stem  or  door- 
bolt  of  some  miserable  Lamasjen,  or  it  might  be  the  tutelary 
deity  of  a  pagan  village.  Some  future  traveller  may  thus  unearth 
it,   and  read   in   it  the  evidence  of  bygone   French  pioneers. 

Before  our  departure,  the  chief  came  to  assure  us  of  his  good- 
will, and  to  console  us  by  relating  how  a  few  years  before  Tchen- 
ki-oue  had  been  pillaged  by  three  hundred  Loutses  from  the 
Salwen.  Two  of  our  mafous,  whom  we  had  sent  over  to  Yiim- 
pan-kai  for  stores,  also  brought  word  on  returning  that  they  had 
seen  there  the  brother  of  the  well-known  Yangynko  of  Tali,  who 
strongly  advised  us  not  to  persevere  on  the  right  bank  because 
of  the  jejcu.  We  had  had  these  savages  held  over  us  ever  since 
Lao,  and  intended  to  believe  in  them  when  we  saw  them,  not  before. 

After  an  uneventful  march  we  halted  near  a  wretched  little 
wooden  village,  where  at  night  the  villagers  asked  our  permission 
to  dance  and  sing,  which  we  willingly  granted.  The  men  sat 
in  a  circle  and  chanted  a  not  unpleasing  cadence  in  slow  measure, 
of  a  semi-religious  sound,  each  strophe  of  which  was  marked  by 
a  prolonged  note,  preluding  an  abrupt  drop  in  the  tone.  As  they 
sang,  they  threw  their  heads  back  and  half  closed  their  eyes  in 
a  state  of  apparent  abstraction.     We  were  the  theme,   it    seemed, 

1/9 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of    their  improvisation,   in   which    they  rejoiced  over  the  advent  of 

three     distinguished    strangers    who    could    not    fail    to    L;ive    them 

presents.     With  the  entrance  of  several  women,  the  scene  became 

more  lively,   and    our    men,   especially  the  big   Lissou    niafou,   who 

showed    a    splendid  set  of   teeth   in  his  childlike  glee,   forgot  their 

toils    awhile.      Meanwhile,    the    song    gave    place    to  a  dance  ;    the 

performers   rose,    the   women    ranging    themselves   arm    in    arm    at 

the     lower    end,    the     men    opposite     them,    each    leaning     on     his 

neighbour's    shoulder.       They   looked   like   groups    in    some    grand 

spectacle,  with  a  blazing  pine  log  to  do  duty  for  footlights.     Then 

the  band  began   to  wheel  in  circles,  the   male  chorus   keej)ing  pace, 

and  from  time  to  time  poising  their  step,  while  the  women  swayed 

their    bodies    in    response.       The   whole    scene   reminded    me   of   a 

dance   of  Thibetan   women    I    had   witnessed    in    the    house   of  the 

chief  Mussulman  at   Batang. 

24th  (July). — We  made  little   progress — the  path   was   so  steep 

in  places  that   it  required  all   the  art  of  our  men,  aided   by  natives, 

to   overcome   it.      Eventually  we  stopped   for  the  night   close   to  a 

village  said  to  be  tenanted  by  jcjeii.      The  inspection  of  a  Chinese 

visiting  card  which  they  did   not  understand,  and  of  our  arms  which 

they  did,   secured   us  a  friendly   reception.       In  the   evening,   while 

the  inhabitants  danced  as  on  the  preceding  day,  I   questioned  some 

of  them.      They  were  still  of  the   Lamasjen   tribe,   ancient   Minchia 

crossed   with    Chinese.      All    carried   at   their   belt  a    long-stemmed 

pipe,  a   round   tobacco-box,   and   a   knife,   and   over   their  shoulders 

was  sluncr  a  hide  or  string  eame-baof.     When  asked  what  was  their 

religious  creed,  they  generally  replied  with  a  laugh  :   "After  death, 

all   is  finished."     Nevertheless,  two  or  three  days  subsequent  to  a 

burial  they  place  a  stone  on  the  tomb  to  ward  off  the  -Spirit  of  the 

Mountains.       Priests    and    altars    there    were    none ;    they    seemed 

180 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

happy  to  lead  an  animal  life  without  beliefs,  or  punishment  for 
crime  other  than  the  vengeance  of  the  victim's  kindred.  Desirous 
of  learning-  more  about  these  natives,  I  invaded  several  of  their 
dwellings.  They  were  for  the  most  part  built  of  wood  round  a 
centre  court,  in  which  were  the  pigs.  Within  was  a  dais  for  sleep- 
ing, as  in  Arab  houses.  There  were  few  implements  visible  ;  but 
one  snare  I  noticed  for  taking  pheasants,  of  wide  meshes  on  a  light 
wooden  frame, — the  men  envelop  themselves  in  straw  and  crouch 
in  the  stubble,  and  the  birds  taking  them  for  rice-shocks  are  skilfully 
netted.  Another  weapon  of  the  chase  was  the  cross-bow,  the  arrows 
for  which  are  carried  in  a  quiver  covered  with  the  skin  of  the  wild  ass. 

In  the  interior  I  detected  no  sign  of  any  worship,  but  on 
emerging  I  observed  under  the  roof  a  row  of  miniature  bows  and 
some  joss-sticks.  The  occupants  told  me  they  reverenced  Mazi, 
the  Spirit  of  the  Waters  ;  Wousinkoui  and  Masimpo,  two  brothers 
who  formerly  fell  into  the  water  and  became  superior  beings  ;  and 
Tsomane,  the  Spirit  of  Evil.  So  that  it  would  appear  they  are  not 
such  infidels  as  they  professed,  although  they  persisted  in  their 
disbelief  in  a  future  state,  or  any  after  punishment  for  assassins. 
This  village  presented  a  remarkable  example  of  a  community 
associated  for  the  defence  of  mutual  interests  without  any  fear  of 
final  retribution. 

Sickness  was  very  prevalent  in  the  district,  chiefly  fevers  follow- 
ing excessive  heat.  Suicide  was  of  ordinary  occurrence.  When  a 
member  of  the  tribe  fell  under  the  ban  of  his  parents  or  his  neigh- 
bours, he  put  an  end  to  himself  with  a  dose  of  opium.  Monogamy 
is  the  habitual  custom  with  them.  At  our  departure  they  bade  us 
beware  of  the  eggs  that  might  be  offered  us  farther  on  ;  they  are 
often  rendered  deadly  by  being  steeped  in  poison.  In  connection 
with   this   danger   I    recalled    a   story  told    by   the    missionaries    in 

i8i 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 

Chinese   Setchuen,   of  leprosy  being    often   conveyed   by   the    pro- 
miscuous feeding  of  the  fowls  in  the  infected  localities. 

Joseph  furnished  me  with  interesting  details  concerning  the 
Lissou  tribes.  Among  the  Ain-Lissous  both  births  and  deaths  are 
celebrated  as  with  the  Chinese.  The  Koua-Lissous  on  the  occa- 
sion of  a  birth  offer  presents  and  felicitations  to  the  mother.  In 
China  the  days  of  each  moon  are  designated  thus  : — 

1st  day  by  rat. 
2nd    ,,      ,,     ox. 
3rd     ,,      ,,     tiger. 
4th     ,,      „     rabbit. 
5th    ,,      ,,     dragon. 
6th    ,,      ,,     serpent. 
7  th    „      „     horse. 
8th    „      ,,     sheep. 
9th    ,,      „     monkey, 
loth    ,,      ,,     fowl. 
I  ith    „      ,,     dog. 
1 2th    ,,      „     pig. 
The  Koua-Lissous  regard  the  day  of  the  horse  as  most  favour- 
able for  burial  ;  the  Pd-Lissous  always  the  day  succeeding   death. 
They  plant  a  post  before  the  grave,  and  hang  on  it  the  bow  and 
arrows  and  wood  of  the  plough  of  the  former  owner,  and  near  them 
leave  a  bowl   and   a  few  sapecks,   that   the  deceased   may   not    be 
destitute  of  what  was  his  in  life. 

Our  halting-place  on  the  26th  (July)  was  the  Lamasjen  village 
of  Feou-tsen.  While  the  unloading  proceeded,  I  watched  a  stalwart 
girl  who  with  open  flowing  white  garments  leaned  her  bare  arms 
with  copper  bracelets  on  a  stone,  while  she  gazed  intently  on  the 

work,  impervious  to  the  importunities  of  a  goat  that  butted  at  her 

182 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

elbow.  If  she  resembled  Esmeralda,  she  too  had  her  Quasimodo  : 
a  few  steps  off  glowered  a  little  wizen,  bandy-legged  old  hunchback. 
Here  was  the  foreground  lor  a  picture,  the  quaintness  of  which  was 
enhanced  by  the  grim  surroundings  whence  we  viewed  it  ;  a  lower 
apartment  filled  with  biers  transformed  into  tables,  benches,  and 
settees,  in  the  midst  of  which  our  hosts  obligingly  described  a  few 
of  their  strange  usages. 

When  the  Lamasjens  marry,  the  wedded  couple  live  at  first 
apart  with  their  respective  parents,  and  do  not  set  up  together  for 
several  years,  or  until  the  birth  of  a  son.  This  custom  also  prevails 
among  the  Lolos  of  Eastern  Yunnan.  Again,  if  female  twins  are 
born,  or  two  women  in  the  same  village  each  have  a  daughter  on 
the  same  day,  the  man  who  in  process  of  time  courts  one  must  also 
espouse  the  other, — their  fate  is  regarded  as  inseparable.  As 
amongst  the  Pe-Lissous,  before  mentioned,  the  implements  of  the 
defunct  are  placed  upon  his  tomb,  with  the  addition  of  a  sapeck 
inserted  between  the  dead  man's  lips — none  other  than  the  ancient 
provision  of  Charon's  obol  for  the  ferry.  Here  again  the  Lamasjens 
told  us  that  they  did  not  look  to  a  future  existence  ;  their  burial 
rites  would  therefore  seem  only  adapted  from  the  Chinese  without 
knowledge  of  their  significance. 

From  an  administrative  point  of  view  this  region  depends 
indirectly  upon  China  through  the  medium  of  local  toussous.  The 
Imperial  Government  organises  the  jurisdiction  of  the  latter  in 
such  a  manner  that  it  shall  never  form  a  compact  circle  but  always 
be  a  segment.  Whilst  in  China  itself  the  mandarins  are  constantly 
changing  at  the  will  of  the  Court  at  Pekin,  here  the  office  of  toussou, 
as  well  as  that  of  headman  of  the  village,  is  hereditary.  On  her 
borders  China  applies  the  system  of  central  supremacy  with  a  light 
hand,  and,   provided   that  the  small  tribute   is  regularly  paid,   does 

183 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

not  look  too  closely  into  the  doings  on  her  frontier.  And,  on 
their  side,  the  toussous  are  flattered  to  feel  that  they  derive  their 
authority  from,  and  are  recognised  by,  the  Imperial  Government. 
The  natives  generally  regard  the  Chinese  as  riparian  owners  of  the 
Mekong  by  right  of  superior  race.  Every  year  the  toussou,  or  a 
delegate  kinsman,  makes  a  tour  of  office  through  the  villages  sub- 
servient to  him,  on  which  occasion  each  family  has  to  pay  him  two 
taels  five  tsiens  of  silver  and  five  taels  of  opium.  In  the  villages 
directly  subject  to  China,  the  chief  has  to  remit  annually  an  average 
of  from  fifteen  to  twenty  taels  of  silver  to  the  authorities.  He  will 
probably  put  aside  at  least  an  equal  sum  for  himself.  With  regard 
to  the  orround,  the  inhabitants  have  the  risht  to  till  waste  lands 
without  rent  or  other  formality,  and  conveyance  of  such  is  a 
matter  for  private  arrangement. 

On  the  27th  (July)  and  the  two  following  days  our  journey 
was  prosecuted  with  little  incident  but  much  toil.  Rain  had 
rendered  the  path  slippery,  and  in  places  we  had  to  shore  it 
with  trunks  and  re-lay  it  with  branches.  In  the  open  we  noticed 
vertical  slabs  of  slate  placed  to  keep  off  the  monkeys,  which 
are  numerous  and  destructive.  To  add  to  the  discouracjement 
of  the  troop,  several  false  alarms  caused  dismay  among  the 
mafous.  A  band  of  thirty  men  issued  suddenly  from  the  forest 
with  pressing  offers  of  assistance  with  the  loads.  At  another 
spot  Joseph  had  an  apparition  of  a  man  armed  with  a  long 
sword,  who  confronted  him  without  speaking,  and  then  vanished. 
These  frequent  scares  made  every  countryman  a  brigand  in  their 
eyes  :  in  ours,  the  natives,  robbers  though  they  may  have  been, 
were  only  very  dirty  and  very  repulsive ;  especially  the  men, 
for     the    women    were     often    white-skinned,     merry,     and     even 

graceful,   though  tattered. 

184 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

The  dwellings  were  always  filthy ;  we  slept  better  in  a 
passage  than  in  the  chief's  apartment,  which  besides  was  littered 
with  an  assortment  of  articles  such  as  grain  bins,  ears  of  corn, 
bows,  bird  snares,  a  broken  matchlock,  wooden  spoons,  a  flail, 
bamboo-hooped  buckets,  and  a  kind  of  iron  grid  on  which  were 
kindled  bits  of  resinous  wood  for  light.  Over  the  door  there 
might  be  a  white  drawing  of  men  on  horses,  though  it  required 
an  effort  of  imagination   to  Ofuess  what  the  artist  had  intended. 

In  the  woods  which  we  traversed  at  this  time  the  wild  olive 
flourished,  in  appearance  just  like  that  of  our  own  country  ; 
and    here    again    after   a    long   lapse    we    found    specimens    of  the 


t^^i 


Native  Designs  on  Door  Lintel. 


palm   or   macaw-tree.       How   did   its   seeds   find  their  way  hither? 

The     wild     vine,     plum,     and     hazel     were     abundant,     also    some 

excellent    little    wild    apples   in   which   we    instructed    Nam    in   the 

art    of   making   compotes.       The    country    itself  varied    little  :    on 

one   side   ran   the   Mekong   at  our  feet,  always   yellow  and  muddy 

in   a  deep   channel,   and  on   our    left   towered   above   us  the    range 

that     separated     us     from     the     Salwen,     its     savage     peaks     and 

skirmisher  pines  reminding  one  of  the   Dolomites  of  the  Tyrol. 

As    the    30th    (Jul_\)    wore   on    the    route    became    better,    and 

by  the  evening  of  that  day  we  reached  a  townlet  which  we  had 

been  told   was  of  some  importance.     We   found   In-Chouan,   as   it 

i8q 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

was  named,  divided  into  Chang  In-Chouan  (upper)  and  Chia 
In-Chouan  (lower),  composed  of  a  few  scattered  houses  and  the 
ruins  of  others.  Nine  years  before,  the  chief  of  the  place  had 
massacred  a  neighbouring  famiK.  The  Li-kiang-fou  sent  a 
mandarin  to  chastise  him,  who  was  himself  beaten  and  robbed. 
Thereupon  China  despatched  a  column  of  one  thousand  men 
under  the  Li-kiang-fou  in  person,  which  killed  the  offending 
chief  and  his  nephew,  occupied  the  place  for  three  months,  and 
executed  summary  vengeance  upon  the  inhabitants.  The  result 
was  what  we  beheld.  The  blackened  walls  of  the  slain  chief's 
residence  afforded  us  a  good  kitchen,  and  in  the  moonlight  the 
aspect  of  the  bivouac  among  the  desolate  remains  was  weird. 
One  might  have  taken  it  for  a  bandits'  lair  or  a  coiners'  den 
rather  than  the  peaceable  roasting  of  a  pig  at  the  camp  fire  of 
the  caravan  of  three  French  travellers. 

Before  leaving  we  questioned  the  people  as  to  the  valley 
of  the  Salwen,  known  here  as  the  Lou-kiang.  They  told  us 
that  it  was  a  three  days'  march  to  that  river  by  paths  wholly 
impassable  for  mules,  with  numerous  villages  belonging  to  the 
H^-Lissous  or  savage  Loutses.  "  Non  cognoscunt  urbanitateni " 
was  Joseph's  comment,  as  he  further  imparted  to  us  a  curious 
fancy  gleaned  in  course  of  conversation  from  the  Lamasjens. 
The  latter  believe  that  the  grains  of  rice  were  brought  by  dogs, 
and  that  if  they  had  no  dogs  they  would  have  no  seed.  They 
could  offer  no  ground  for  the  superstition  other  than  that  their 
grandfathers  had  told  them  so. 

Having  been   refused   supplies  by   a   chief   the   day   before,    on 

the     1st    (August)     Briffaud,    Joseph,     Sao,    myself,    and    a   guide 

diverged    from    the    caravan    to   try   and   find   the   village   of  Tdki, 

•where    we   were    told    we    might    obtain    information    as    to    the 

i86 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

SaKven    valley.       After  following  a   path    to   the  wooded   brink   of 

a  torrent,   the  track   ceased.       We    had    to   separate,   and    I    struck 

a  trail   in   the  thicket  that  brought    me  to  a  secluded   nook,    where 

on   two  opposing   boulders,  half  hidden    under  the  leaves,   a   fallen 

tree    trunk    spanned    the    chasm.       A    fine    place    for    robbers,    but 

utterly   out    of   the    question    for    mules.      There    was    nothing    for 

it   but  to  undress  and  wade  with  our  clothes  on  our  heads.      The 

water    was    nipping   cold,  and    the    current    so   swift    that   only   by 

joining  hands  and  leaning  on  a  pole  could  we  make  head  against 

it.      Having  forded  the  stream,  we  had  to  scramble  up  a  frightful 

steep    on    hands    and    knees.       How   our    mules,    unloaded    though 

they   were,   ever    followed    us   was   a   problem  :    after   what    I    have 

seen,    I   would  way^er  them   to  climb  anv  staircase. 

Bv   this   means   we   at    length   reached    Teki,    two   freshly   built 

villasfes    as    vet    undarkened    bv    time,    and    with    the    thatch     still 

yellow  on    the   roofs.      Among   the   new   buildings   protruded   many 

ruins ;     Teki   had   come   in   for   devastation    both    by   the    chieftain 

of  In-Chouan   and   by   the   subsequent   Chinese  avengers.      At   the 

doors  stood  scantily  clothed   women  :     a  slight  apron   formed   their 

sole  covering  ;  some  even   found  this  too  complicated,  and  preferred 

the   garb   of  nature.       We   checked   our   mules   at   the   court  of  an 

opium-smoker,    who    seeing    us    offering    to    pay    for    grain    wa.xed 

communicative.      A    bad    path   was   said   to  lead   from    here  in  two 

days    to    the    Salwen,    there    both    wide    and    deep.      The    Loutses 

were  clearly   Koua-Lissous.      Here  the  word   Loutse  meant  simply 

natives   of  the    Lou-kiang,   and   w-as   not  applied   to  a   race.       The 

independent     Lissous    were     reported     dangerous ;     a    few     bolder 

spirits     from     the     Mekong    valley     occasionally    penetrated     their 

district    at    their    peril    to    trade     linen,    salt,     tobacco,    and    opium 

against  drucrs  and   skins.      The   Loutses   made   constant  incursions 

189 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


hereabouts  ;  only  three  days  before,   they  had  paid  a  visit  to  Tdki 
and   carried  off  a  resident  as  a  shive. 

From  Teki  we  rejoined  the  caravan  near  a  hamlet  whence 
the  inhabitants  issued  with  lances  and  seized  our  mules  by  the 
bridle,  but  it  was  only  with  kindly  intent.  Farther  on  we  came 
across  an  ill-looking  company  in  a  wood  armed  with  bows  and 
arrows.      Our  tent  that  nij^ln  was  pitched  under  a  larc^e  walnut-tree 


I  ^ii">  ^ 


'I'linciU   ]!c(l  iiLiir  Ttki. 


in  which  were  stuck  small  white  Hags,  a  religious  custom  common 
in  Thibet.  Hard  by  was  the  village  of  Toti,  which  the  Loutses 
had  raided  only   the  day  before,  capturing  two  men  and  a  horse. 

"Eagle  Beak"  announced  to  us  that  the  inhabitants  of  this 
Toti  were  He-Lissous,  and  consequently  his  kinsfolk.  We 
thought  this  circumstance  would  procure  us  a  dance  in  the  even- 
ing,   but   found   instead   that    they   were   far    from    being    well    dis- 

190 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

posed  towards  us.  They  were  heard  in  conference:  "If  the  big 
men  come  among  us  without  notice,  it  can  only  be  to  kill  ;  we 
will  be  beforehand  with  them."  We  had  only  just  finished 
dinner  when  the  rallying  horn  was  heard,  and  large  fires  were  lit 
on  the  surrounding  heights.  As  a  precaution,  I  served  out  car- 
tridges, and  recommended  the  men  to  watch  by  turns  ;  on  which 
they  hugged  their  guns  and  responded,  '' clieulo !  chculo !"  (all 
right !),  and  promised  to  do  sentry-go  in  spells  of  two  hours. 
Finding  us  thus  prepared,  some  of  the  people  came  in  from  the 
village  offering  us  dried  fungi,  and  bidding  us  not  to  have  any 
fear.  I  took  the  opportunity  to  tell  the  chief  that  we  were  in  no 
way  alarmed  :  our  treatment  of  the  villagers  would  correspond 
with  their  treatment  of  us ;  if  they  attacked  us  we  were  ready 
for  them.  They  then  retired,  and  we  lay  down  to  rest.  I  woke 
in  about  an  hour.  It  was  as  dark  as  pitch  ;  the  fire  was  half 
out,  and  every  man  was  as  sound  as  a  babe.  It  was  no  good 
waking  them  ;  so  back  to  bed  again  ;  one  must  run  some  risks  in 
travel.      But  the   Toti  folk  missed  a  good  chance  that  night. 

2nd  (August). — We  had  three  Lissous  with  us  to-day,  one  of 
whom,  having  been  plundered  by  Loutses,  turned  the  tables  on 
them  by  robbing  the  robbers  of  a  sword  and  a  red  sash  which 
he  was  wearing.  By  his  account  the  Loutses  subsist  entirely  by 
pillage.  Asked  why  the  Mekong  Lissous  did  not  retaliate  upon 
those  of  the  Salwen,  he  said  the  latter  were  better  armed,  and 
they  were  afraid  of  them.  One  of  these  Lissous  produced  a 
curious  musical  instrument  formed  of  three  small  palettes  of  bam- 
boo with  stops.  By  applying  the  stops  to  his  teeth  and  making 
them  vibrate  in  turn  with  his  finger,  his  open  mouth  acting  as  a 
sounding  board,   he  drew  from   them  a  soft  and  plaintive   tone,   so 

low  that  one  had  to  be  quite  close    to    hear    it.      The    instrument 

191 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

is  of  Loutse    origin,   and   the   Lissous   will    sit    for    hours    amusing 
themselves  with  it. 

On  the  3rd  (August)  we  stopped  at  Fong-Chouan.  The 
Mekong  here  is  forced  into  a  complete  S  by  rice  terraces,  having 
on  the  left  bank  another  large  village  called  Ouei-ten.  The  eye 
hailed  with  pleasure  the  reappearance  of  green  cultivation  after 
the  dreary  spell  of  gaunt  mountains  we  had  passed.  At  our 
midday  halt  Sao  and  Joseph  exercised  themselves  with  some 
cross-bow  practice.  The  weapon  is  made  of  very  tough  wood, 
with  a  notch  cut  on  the  haft,  and  discharges  featherless  arrows 
with  sufficient  force  to  pierce  a  tree  at  forty  paces.  The  point  of 
the  arrow  is  of  wood,  filled  just  above  the  actual  tip  with  a 
virulent  poison  extracted  from  a  geranium-leafed  plant ;  the  arrow 
head  being  easily  detached  to  receive  the  unguent,  breaks  off  in 
the  wound.  The  natives  are  never  without  this  arm,  even  at 
their  work  in  the  fields  ;  many  likewise  carrying  a  sword  about  3^ 
feet  long,   rectangular  at  the  end,  and  as  sharp  as  a  razor. 

At  Fong-Chouan  I  inquired  of  Joseph  the  meaning  of  the 
images  and  designs  of  Chinese  pattern  that  filled  the  pagoda  in 
which  we  slept.  He  expounded  them  thus: — "Against  the  wall 
you  observe  a  table  or  altar  on  which  are  three  panels.  The 
left-hand  one  depicts  the  Water  King  :  clothed  in  yellow,  with  a 
sword  in  one  hand  and  a  red  sphere  in  the  other,  one  of  his 
feet  rests  upon  the  head  of  a  marine  monster  ;  beside  him  crouch 
two  devils.  In  the  centre  panel  is  the  Mountain  King,  the 
greatest  of  the  three  :  his  head  and  his  body  are  white  ;  he  has 
two  faces,  each  with  three  eyes.  The  mouths  are  open,  and  dis- 
close one  tooth  on  either  side  longer  than  the  rest ;  they  are  for 
defence.      Upon    his    brow    are    red    flames  ;   around    his    neck    are 

hung   miniature  human   heads.      He   has   six   arms ;   the   two   upper 

192 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

ones  support  twin  discs,  red  and  white,  which  are  the  sun  and 
moon  ;  the  two  middle  hands  are  clasped  in  prayer ;  the  two 
lowest  hold,  the  one  gold,  the  other  a  spear  round  which  is 
twined  a  serpent.  On  either  side  of  the  god  is  one  carrying 
books  and  a  pen.  The  right-hand  panel  represents  the  Animal 
Kinof :  his  countenance  is  adorned  with  lon^"  moustaches ;  he 
grasps  in  one  hand  a  sword  and  in  the  other  a  cake  or  fruit, 
upon  his  head  a  red  cap  such  as  is  worn  by  mandarins.  The 
god  is  seated  on  a  tiger,  and  at  his  side  stand  two  priests  in 
long  robes,   with  shaven  heads." 

There  was  a  vessel  before  the  panel  of  the  Mountain  King 
containing  small  bamboo  stalks  inscribed  with  two  characters, 
phrases  from  a  religious  book  ;  the  credulous  who  wish  to  know 
their  destiny  shake  the  vessel  and  draw  forth  a  stalk,  and  inter- 
pret the  sentence  according  to  desire.  This  manner  of  reading  the 
future  reminded  one  of  the  usa^e  of  cutting  the  Bible  at  hazard. 

In  the  centre  of  the  pagoda  was  hung  from  the  platform  a 
square  paper,   marked  thus — ■ 


The  little  circles 
arranged  round  the 
square  ii,  d,  c,  r/,  arc 
silver,  and  bear  the 
names  of  the  twenty- 
eight  stars. 


The  little  circles 
arranged  round  the 
square  e,f,g,  h,  are 
red,  and  bear  the 
Kiatse  or  cycle 
(names  of  days). 


The  circles  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8  contain  pictures,  i,  3,  4,  5,  7  red,  and  2,  6,  8  silver. 
N  193 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


These  discs  are  called  the  Pakoua,  and  represent  the  system  according  to  which  are 
divided  the  elements,  as  water,  earth,  etc.  Following  the  diagonals  af,  he,  de,  gb,  are  hung 
small  flags  inscribed  with  characters  to  frighten  the  devils. 

At  the  entry  to  the  pagoda  are  four  words  in  large  characters,  meaning  : 

TO    INVOKE  IT   IS   NECESSARY  WITH    FEAR  CLEARLY 

On  cither  side  of  the  door  two  long  tablets  bear  inscriptions  : 


Left. 
With  three  eyes  {the  Moiattahi  A'/»ir). 
Can  see  all. 
Can  see  three  thousand  (hours). 


Right. 

With  six  shoulders. 

Can  govern  the  Louko  {the  Loiiko  is  an 
assemblage  of  six  things, — sky,  earth, 
mankind,  eternity,  money,  great  chief). 


We  were  detained  a  day  in  Fong-Chouan  by  the  searcli  for  a 
runaway  mule.  During  our  stay  the  Loutses  attacked  a  village 
three  miles  distant,  killing  one  man  and  wounding  and  kidnap- 
ping several  others.  We  derived  some  more  particulars  of  the 
Salwen  or  Lou-kiang,  which  hereabouts  was  called  equally  the 
Nong-kiang  and  the  Nong-tse-kiang.  Another  river  was  said 
to  flow  near  it  in  the  same  direction,  named  the  Kiou-kiang, 
and  this  our  after-experiences  proved  to  be  correct.  Report  also 
spoke  of  silver  and  copper  mines  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong, 
at  one  or  two  days'  march  from  Ouei-ten. 

On   the    5th   (August),   at  starting,    1   noticed  two   Lissous  who 

were  wearing   grey  robes,   Thibetan   fashion,   and    j^laited    bamboo 

necklets  :    they    proved     to    be    traders    from    the    Salwen    valley, 

offering    for    exchange    many    Loutse    objects,    all     made    out    of 

bamboo — long-stemmed  pipes,  woven  baskets,  pitchers  with  handles, 

etc.      Judging   from    these    articles,    the    transmontane    tribes    were 

more  industrious  than  the  poverty-stricken  Lamasjens.      Our  stage 

was    curtailed    by    a    landslip,    and    we    were    promised    an    entire 

194 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

cessation  of  the  track  two  days  ahead,  where  a  hundred  men  would 
not  be  able  to  clear  it.  Both  absence  and  destruction  of  means 
of  communication  were  attributable  to  the  terror  inspired  by  the 
everlasting  Loutses,  the  left  bank  and  safety  being  usually  pre- 
ferred to  this  one. 

While  in  camp  the  villagers  constantly  came  begging  for 
remedies,  chiefly  for  eye  troubles  ;  and  I  made  a  large  quantity  of 
boric  acid.  Amonaf  our  visitors  were  two  with  a  kind  of  leather 
cuirass  protecting  the  back  only,  which  suggested  to  us  that  that 
was  the  part  they  most  often  presented  to  their  foes ;  but  they 
averred  that  were  it  in  front  they  could  not  level  their  cross- 
bows on  its  slippery  surface.  One  of  them  also  possessed  some 
balls  which  he  would  not  part  with  at  any  price  ;  they  were  a 
precious  remedy  against  all  ills,  made  from  the  gall  of  bears. 
Questioned  as  to  the  treatment  the  Loutses  accorded  to  their 
prisoners,  these  warriors  said  they  could  be  ransomed  for  from 
nine  to  fifteen  oxen  a  man  ;  if  unredeemed,  they  w^ere  put  to  hard 
labour  as  slaves.  The  women  were  made  bondwomen  of,  rarely 
married.  The  slaves  might  intermarry,  and  their  children  would 
be  free ;  moreover,  any  captured  children  were  brought  up  as 
their  own  in  liberty.  The  accounts,  therefore,  of  the  ferocity  of 
these   Loutses  would  seem   to  be  exaggerated. 

To  show  the  destitution  of  these  villagers,  I  saw  one  going 
round  among  our  mules  with  a  sack,  sweeping  up  the  grains  of 
paddy,  mixed  with  twigs,  that  had  dropped  from  their  nose-bags. 

Another  short  stage,  and  on  the  7th  (August)  a  dead  stop 
with  an  abrupt  end  to  the  path.  By  dint  of  incessant  and  very 
severe  toil,  our  mafous,  aided  by  hired  natives  clearing  brushwood, 
cutting  down  and  filling  up,  pushed  and  pulled  the  animals 
throucjh  ;  so   that  at   nightfall   we  were   over   the   worst   of  it,    and 

195 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

reached  a  welcome  hamlet.  These  emergency  Lissous  were  a  light- 
hearted  set.  After  all  their  exertions  they  sat  round  the  fire  at  the 
end  of  their  long  pipes,  laughing  and  chatting,  with  no  sign  of 
exhaustion.      They  took  what  we  gave  them  cheerfully,  and   made 


=---~:7^ 


Lissous  at  Lamcti. 


their  way  back   to  their  villages  at  once,  haunted  only  by  the  fear 

of  having  left  their  women  and  children  at  the  mercy  of  marauders. 

Our   hosts   at    Lameti   consented   to   perform    a    dance    for    our 

benefit,  and   a   threshing-floor   having    been    turned    into    the    ball- 

room,   the   orchestra  tuned   up.       It  consisted  of  four  musicians — a 

flageolet,   a  violin   with    two    strings,    a    guitar    with    four,    and    an 

196 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

instrument  of  slender  bamboo  strips  made  to  vibrate  upon  the 
teeth.  This  last  was  played  by  an  old  woman,  who  was  also 
mistress  of  the  ceremonies.  The  air,  though  not  very  varied,  was 
soft  and  rhythmic.  The  dancers  formed  a  ring  and  began  from 
their  stations,  alternately  advancing  and  withdrawing  their  legs. 
Presently  the  villagers,  male  and  female,  gathered  behind  the 
circle  and  commenced  to  beat  time  loudly  with  their  feet.  Now  the 
ancient  Fury  who  led  the  orchestra  stepped  into  the  centre.  With 
her  commanding  stature,  parchment-wrinkled  face,  grisled  locks 
crowned  with  a  chaplet  of  seeds,  and  a  collaret  ot  bears'  teeth 
and  claws  gleaming  upon  her  breast,  she  was  the  personification 
of  a  witch.  Faster  and  wilder  grew  the  measure.  The  men  who 
circled  round  her  seemed  under  a  spell,  their  heads  thrown  back, 
their  eyes  fixed,  their  hair  Hying,  lost  to  all  sense  save  that  of 
motion.  It  needed  our  intervention  to  bring  them  back  to  earth  ; 
so  we  despatched  them  to  practise  reality  in  road-mending  against 
the  morrow. 

The  people  told  me  they  had  no  priests,  and  that  when  any- 
one died  they  put  his  arms  and  implements  near  his  grave,  that 
his  spirit  might  miss  nothing  in  its  flight  towards  the  mountain- 
tops,  beyond  which  they  knew  no  farther  resting-place. 

The  dwellings  in  the  ne.xt  village  were  ranged  alongside  each 
other  under  a  common  roof,  with  a  central  rectangular  court  for 
combined  defence  against  attack.  As  a  consequence  of  so  many 
families  living  together,  the  greatest  laxity  of  morals  seemed  tc 
prevail.  As  for  the  chief  he  had  only  four  wives  ;  the  fifth  was 
lately  deceased.  Amongst  this  branch  of  the  Lissous  incom- 
patibility of  disposition  is  sufficient  cause  for  separation,  and  either 
party  is  then  free  to  marry  again. 

At  night  the  dance  was  again  readily  organised,  to  the  delight 

•97 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of  the  villagers  and  the  amusement  of  our  men,  who  transformed 
themselves  into  link-boys  with  resinous  pine  branches.  It  was 
kept  up  with  spirit,  and  great  was  the  appreciation  when  we 
ourselves  chose  partners  and  "took  the  floor."  The  performance 
was  in  most  respects  similar  to  that  of  the  preceding  night,  save 
that  the  surroundings,  lit  by  a  brilliant  moon  over  the  shoulder  of 
an  ebon  mass  of  mountain,  were  even  wilder  in  this  out-of-the- 
world  spot  than  before.  Indeed,  so  secluded  was  the  village, 
that  only  the  merest  chance  had  discovered  it  to  us  :  no  possible 
outlet  from  this  angle  could  have  been  guessed  for  the  river. 
By  degrees,  as  they  grew  tired,  the  dancers  withdrew  from  the 
circle,  leaving  three  to  foot  it  in  a  kotchoau  (triple  set).  This  they 
executed  at  fixed  distances  apart,  gradually  contracting  till  their 
shoulders  touched,  then  radiating  again,  wheeling,  pausing,  leap- 
ing, without  a  moment's  cessation  of  the  instruments  ;  the  time 
was  perfect,  and  the  dance  demoniac,  though  it  did  not  lack  grace. 
A  pas  dc  deux  ended,  like  a  cossack  dance. 

To  this  succeeded  singing.  A  woman  with  a  very  fair  voice 
began  an  air  which  the  others  took  up  in  chorus.  Then  followed 
improvisation  by  one  alone,  or  by  one  against  another,  the  burden 
of  the  songs  being  all  in  honour  of  us,  as  shown  in  the  literal) 
translation  thus  roughly  given  me  : — 


Scupa                  a/a 

mamon 

tdd/co 

The  lords           almost 

impossible  to 

see     now  once 

Seupa 

dzcu/a 

0 

the  lords 

have  found 

well 

T6ga 

seupa 

/dinia 

now 

the  lords 

have  come  hither 

cheu 

kai  tai 

■pi; 

no  more 

of  ills  ; 

198 

FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

or  fuller,   thus  : — "  Three  such  great  lords  had  never  before  come 

to  us.      It  is  very  hard  to  find  us.      Now  they  are  here,    it  is  well. 

Before,   the    Loutses   were    always  plundering  us.      Now  that  they 

have  come,    the    Loutses  are  greatly  afraid.      For  many  years  we 

were    in   sadness  ;   we   had   many   ills.      Now   we  are   happy.      The 

three   great    lords    pass    our   dwelling  :    henceforth    our    fields    will 

flourish,    our   harvests  will   be   full."      Poor,   childish,   ignorant  folk, 

with  no  other  joys  than  the  pipe,  the  dance,  the   song,  and  love  of 

species  shared  in  common  with  all  creation  !      Before  leaving  in  the 

morning  I  saw  a  sufficiently  wretched  sight.      In  one  of  the  houses 

a  man  was  chained  to  a  post  neck  and  heels,  though  his  evil  plight 

admitted    of  his    smoking    still.      He    was    a    Loutse,    one   of    the 

redoubtable  brigands   who,   lagging  behind  in  a  recent  foray,  had 

been   caught.     I    could  not  see    much  to  choose   between   him   and 

his  captors. 

The  entertainment  of  the  preceding  night,  or  the  better  state  of 

the  road  on  the  following  day,  put  the  men  in  good-humour.     The 

makotou  also,   who  had  suffered   from   fever,  was  nearly  well.      He 

attributed  his  cure  to  the  sacrifice  of  a  little  porker  to  the  God  of 

the  Mountain  as  compensation  for  disturbance  in  path  cutting.     We 

passed  the  night  in  a  clean  house,  belonging,  strangely  enough,  to 

a    Chinese.      It    was    some    time    since    we    had    seen    any    of    his 

confraternity,   and  we  had  not   missed  them.      But  this  one  was  a 

better    specimen — a    merchant    of    Yunnan,    who    had    married    a 

Lissou  and  had  two  daughters,  the  younger  of  whom  we  saw.     The 

elder  had  gone  to  Ouisi  to  find  a  husband.     The  father  took  me 

into    his  confidence,    and    poured    out  his   paternal    woes.     Suitors 

hereabouts   were  so  poor  that   his    two   girls,    when   they  wedded, 

would    only    bring    him   ten   taels    apiece ;  at    Toti    he   might   have 

safely  reckoned  on  two  hundred. 

199 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Here  at  Loza  the  Loutses  were  again  in  evidence,  and  night 
and  day  ten  men  watch  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  to  signal  their 
approach.  In  the  morning  we  were  witnesses  of  a  thank-offering  to 
the  Spirit  of  the  Earth  on  behalf  of  an  old  woman  recovering  from 
illness.  On  the  ground  in  front  of  the  sufferer's  door  had  been  set 
up  a  small  wooden  framework  model  of  a  house  with  a  bough  stuck 
at  each  support.  The  structure  covered  some  saucers  of  seeds  and 
cakes,  and  behind  it  was  arranged  a  measure  of  rice  with  two  cups 
of  tchaotiou  upon  it,  and  a  distaff,  the  thread  of  which  was  twined 
round  the  frame.  A  coarse  paste  effigy  of  the  Spirit  presided  over 
the  whole.  Before  it  was  a  basket  containing  a  straw  and  three 
vertical  bits  of  wood.  An  old  tongpa  (Lissou  sorcerer)  squatted 
beside  it,  muttering  incantations.  In  one  hand  he  grasped  a  fowl, 
which  he  first  sprinkled  with  a  twig  dipped  in  the  libation,  while  he 
recited  the  names  of  the  spirits  invited  to  the  feast.  Then,  having 
opened  the  fowl's  throat,  he  smeared  the  idol  and  the  posts  with  the 
blood,  and  applied  feathers  to  the  parts  thus  anointed.  The  bird 
was  then  plucked  and  thrown  into  a  pot,  and  the  repast  was  ready 
tor  the  invisible  guests.  For  his  own  portion  the  wizard  received 
the  plates  of  rice. 

During  the  next  two  days  the  valley  opened  out  and  cultivation 
increased,  with  splendid  walnut,  chestnut,  and  peach  trees,  the  fruit 
of  the  latter  unfortunately  not  yet  ripe.  Villages  were  numerous ; 
and  side  by  side  with  our  old  acquaintances  the  Lamasjens  we  met 
with  yet  another  tribe,  the  Mossos,  of  whom  more  hereafter. 

It  was  now  that  we  suddenly  descried,  on   the  far  side  of  the 

river,  some  black  tents,   whose  peculiar  form,  as  well  as  the  thick 

smoke   they  emitted,    did   not   leave   us   long   in   doubt  as   to  their 

owners.     They   were    Thibetan  ;    and   their    presence  at    this    spot 

assured    us    that   we   were  within  a  few  days  of  the    land   of  the 

200 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

Lamas,  the  northern  limit  of  our  wanderings.  We  hailed  the 
sight  with  joy  ;  for  behind  those  few  black  rags  and  that  smoke 
lay  a  meaning  that  sufficed  to  put  heart  into  the  whole  caravan. 

On  the  iith  (August),  after  passing  several  streams,  where,  by 
means  of  wooden  planks  with  shutters,  gold  washings  were  being 
carried  on,  we  arrived  at  the  village  of  Into,  connected  by  two 
cable  bridges  with  the  small  town  of  Hsiao-Ouisi  opposite.  At 
both  these  places  there  are  Christians,  and  in  the  latter  we  found 
a  French  missionary.  Father  Tintet,  whom  I  knew  at  Lioutin-kiao 
in  1890.  The  meeting  with  a  fellow-countryman  in  so  remote  a 
spot  was  a  great  event  for  us,  and  for  the  moment  as  we  chatted 
this  iarthest  recess  of  China  became  France. 

The  news  of  the  station  was  not  good.     Father  Goutelle,  the 

doyen  of  the  Thibet  Mission,  had  died  ten  days  previously  at  Ouisi, 

without  having  realised  the  dream  for  which  he  had  laboured  forty 

years — the  recognition  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  at  Lhaca  and 

other   cities  of  Thibet.      The  poor   missionaries  were  in  evil   case. 

Notwithstanding  the    promise   that    M.    Gdrard  had  extorted  from 

the  Tsungli-Yamen  of  the  reconstruction  of  their  destroyed  stations 

at    Batang    and    Atents^,    nothing    had    been    done.     The    viceroy 

of  Setchuen,  having  been  recalled  to  Pekin,  gave  orders  before  his 

departure  to  demolish  the  mission  houses  ;  and,  just  when  his  spite 

had  been  wreaked,  was  poisoned.      The  mandarin  of  Ouisi  followed 

suit  by  committing  suicide.     The  latter  had  sent  in  a  report  avowing 

that  the  stations  had  received  no  injury  either  at  Tsekou  or  Atentse. 

It  was  forwarded  through  Yiinnan-Sen ;  and  simultaneously  with  its 

consideration   at    Pekin   a  second    document,    setting    out    the    loss 

sustained  by  the  missionaries,  arrived  from  Ta-tsien-lou.    The  result 

of    the    conflicting    evidence    was    a    reprimand,    addressed    to    the 

viceroy   of    Yunnan,    who    lost    no    time    in    passing    it    on    to   his 

201 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

subordinate  at  Ouisi.  The  latter  mandarin  read  the  letter,  dined, 
and  forthwith  killed  himself  in  his  garden.  His  successor,  furnished 
with  precise  orders  to  see  justice  done  to  the  Fathers,  presented 
himself  at  Atentse,  and  inquired  who  had  burned  their  domicile. 
The  Lamas  replied  that  they  had  done  so.  "  For  what  reason  ?  " — 
"  The  Fathers  prevented  the  rain."  "  Do  they  not  eat?" — "Yes." 
"  Then  if  they  eat  they  will  want  harvests  like  yourselves  ;  and 
if  harvests,  rain  ?  " — "  But  they  have  money."  "  Can  they  eat 
money  .'^" — And  so  on.  The  conclusion  was  foregone;  no  com- 
pensation was  obtained  ;  the  magistrate's  secretary  was  a  relative  of 
the  Lamas.  We  have  given  the  above  at  length  as  an  instance  of 
the  obstacles  the  missionaries  have  to  encounter,  and  of  the  utter 
supineness  of  Chinese  officialdom  in  face  of  the  articles  in  the 
Treaty  of  Pekin  on  the  subject.  Perhaps  some  day  China,  van- 
quished on  her  coasts,  penetrated  by  more  civilisation,  and,  not 
improbably,  disintegrated  by  her  own  internal  parties, — notably  those 
from  the  side  of  Thibet, — may  relinquish  her  habitual  perversity. 

Tidings  affecting  us  personally  also  reached  us  here.  A  letter 
from  Father  Leguilcher  at  Tali  conveyed  the  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  our  interpreter  Joseph's  only  child.  This  might  have 
the  effect  of  detaching  a  valuable  servant.  But  on  my  breaking 
the  news  to  him,  after  the  first  outburst  of  grief  he  bore  it 
with  Christian  fortitude.  "God,"  said  he,  "has  taken  my  child; 
but  we  shall  meet  in  heaven.  You  have  present  need  of  me, 
and  I  will  follow  your  fortunes."  I  was  glad  to  honour  his  courage, 
and  to  recognise  in  this  singular  Chinese  a  testimony  to  the  Iruit 
of  our  missionaries  in  the   Far   East. 

From  Father  Tintet  we  derived  some  information  of  this  region. 

Though  his  proselytes  were  few  in  number,  he  was  held  in  respect 

by   all.      The   valley  being  impoverished   both   by   its   sterility   and 

202 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

the  improvidence  of  its  inhabitants,  one  of  his  endeavours  was 
to  induce  the  people  to  store  the  grain.  The  rains  here  are 
neither  very  heavy  nor  regular,  and  during  a  certain  season 
nothing  is  seen  but  a  little  buckwheat  cultivated  on  the  heights. 
In  the  months  of  January  and  February  it  rains  a  good  deal  ; 
but  the  cold  is  never  extreme,  the  minimum  temperature  being 
about  20°   Fahr.,   and  there  is  little  snow. 

Whilst  we  had  enjoyed  the  society  of  our  countryman,  our  men 
had  not  been  idle,  and  with  several  days'  grain  supplies  ready,  and 
the  season  now  advanced,  we  were  constrained  to  be  off  Ao-ain 
we  were  warned  that  after  a  few  days  it  would  be  impossible  to 
continue  on  the  right  bank.  Besides  the  consideration  that  the 
transport  of  our  numerous  caravan  to  the  other  side  by  an  insecure 
bridge  would  be  a  hazardous  undertaking,  I  preferred  to  adhere 
to  my  original  enterprise  until  it  should  become  absolutely  imprac- 
ticable. On  the  right  shore  of  the  Mekong  we  were  in  unexplored 
country.  At  Hsiao-Ouisi  the  traveller  Cooper,  coming  from 
Atentse,  had  crossed,  as  well  as  several  missionaries.  All  had 
quitted  the  river  valley  to  the  south  of  the  town  and  gone  in  a 
south-west  direction  ;  so  that  we  should  have  an  entirely  untrodden 
territory  before  us. 

Accordingly,  on  the  12th  (August)  we  performed  a  short  stage. 
Our  troop  had  lost  the  services  of  "  Eagle  Beak "  and  the  two 
Minchias,  and  their  places  were  filled  by  two  Thibetans  supplied  by 
the  Father,  who  himself  proposed  to  accompany  us  a  short  distance. 
These  recruits  were  Christians,  and  promised  to  be  good  workers.  I 
was  glad  to  see  once  more  the  copper-coloured,  large-eyed  Mongolian 
type  and  the  regulation  Thibetan  tchaupa  ^  and  woollen  boots. 

'  A  rough  woollen  tunic  reaching  to  the  knees,  crossed  in  front  and  tied  in  to  the  figure 
so  as  to  form  a  pouch  wherein  pipe,  tobacco,  and  food  are  carried. 

20.^ 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

The  march  of  the  13th  (August)  was  a  short  one  to  the 
villatje  of  Ngai-hoa,  where  Father  Tintet  took  leave  of  us. 
Hospitality  was  offered  us  by  the  chief,  and  we  preferred  the 
shelter  of  his  oratory  to  that  of  a  bed-chamber  where  lay  his 
octogenarian  mother.  In  the  chapel  was  an  altar  with  three 
niches,  from  one  of  which  the  goddess  Khou-an-yn  with  her  child 
in  her  arms  watched  over  our  slumbers.  It  was  said  she  would 
protect  us  for  two  nights,  but  none  the  less  we  lost  three  mules, 
which  retarded  us  for  a  whole  day.  Nothing  was  more  exasperating 
than  to  discover  on  the  eve  of  starting  that  a  mule  was  missing. 
It  was  no  use  dropping  on  the  men  ;  they  would  simply  have 
left  us.  Patience  and  search  were  the  only  remedies  ;  and  in 
these  Joseph,  with  his  good-sense  and  e.xperience,  was  unrivalled. 
Roux,  who  was  in  haste  to  reach  the  frontier  of  Thibet,  exclaimed 
at  one  of  these  checks  :  "  What  are  we  to  do  if  we  stop  here  ?  ' 
— "  Probably  eat  and  sleep,"  replied  Joseph,  sucking  at  his 
pipe. 

On  the  15th  (August)  we  came  to  the  village  of  Halo,  where 
there  was  a  ferry.  A  little  higher  up  the  right  bank  is  stopped 
by  precipitous  cliffs  to  the  water's  edge,  and  pedestrians  creep 
round  on  pegs  of  timber  driven  into  the  face  of  the  rock.  This 
acrobatic  performance  being  impossible  for  quadrupeds,  the  only 
alternative  by  which  the  position  might  be  turned  was  a  flank 
march  of  a  fortnight  into  the  Salvven  valley,  and  so  round  to 
Tsekou.  This  decided  us.  We  had  reached  the  point  where 
the  right  bank  must  be  abandoned  for  the  left  ;  on  which  a  road 
led  in  two  days  to  Tsekou,  and  an  opportunity  would  be  given 
of  making  the  acquaintance  eii  route  of  a  chief  whose  friendship 
might  prove  of  subsequent  advantage  to  us.  A  bargain  was 
therefore    struck  with    the    headman    of   Halo    for    the    passage   of 

204 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

ourselves  and  our  belongings  for  seven  and  a  half  taels,  and  a 
day  and  a  half  to  complete  the  job.  The  men  were  delighted  at 
the  prospect,  and  were  ready  to  joke  now  over  a  scare  they 
had  had  from  some  falling  stones  that  morning,  when  the  bold 
Fa  loosed  off  his  gun  plump  into  the  thicket,  and  swore  he  heard 
the  robbers  scampering. 

In  the  evening  bonfires  blazed  in  the  villasfe  in  honour  of  the 
Hopatie  (fire,  wood,  fete),  the  S.  Jean  of  China,  when  each  family 
invoked  a  favourable  harvest.  The  flames  lit  up  the  orange-trees, 
the  palms  gleamed  steely  blue,  and  the  red  flowers  of  the  giant 
pagoda-trees  returned  the  glow  as  we  kept  the  feast  of  Hopatie 
by  letting  off  crackers  which   the  people  gave  us. 

It  was  rather  a  ticklish  sensation  to  be  launched  upon  the 
swirling  Mekong  in  a  crank  dug-out  i6  feet  long,  paddled  by 
four  men.  The  waters  were  on  the  rise ;  another  day  and  the 
boatmen  would  not  attempt  the  crossing.  As  it  was,  great  care 
was  needed  to  prevent  the  frail  craft  getting  broadside  on  to 
the  rush  ;  and  Joseph,  who  loved  not  water  frolics,  uttered 
a  fervent  Deo  gratias  when  the  exciting  moment  was  safely  past. 
The  mules  were  transferred  by  towing. 

From  here,  Roux  and  I,  with  Joseph  and  three  men  and  pack 
mules,  set  forward  in  light  order.  Briffaud  continued  with  the 
caravan,  to  rejoin  us  at  Tsekou.  Upon  the  left  bank  we  fell 
in  with  a  young  Christian  of  Kampou,  returning  from  Hsiao-Ouisi. 
and  engaged  him  at  once  as  guide  and  servant.  The  way  W'as 
good,  wide,  and  free  from  scrub,  having  been  prepared  for  the 
passage  of  the  mandarin  of  Ouisi.  After  so  long  clambering  over 
worse  than  goat-paths,  with  the  river  always  within  sound  on 
our  right,  it  seemed  strange  to  be  walking  at  ease  on  the  level, 
hearkening    to    it    roaring    on    our    left.      We    passed    through    the 

20s 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

little  Mosso  village  of  Kampou,  where  the  inhabitants  utilised 
even  the  dikes  between  the  rice-fields  for  beans.  Soon  after,  the 
■country  became  wilder ;  affluents  of  the  Mekong  intersected  our 
road  with  barren  gorges,  the  hills  were  covered  with  pines.  Just 
before  dark  we  made  out  on  the  brow  the  white  buildings  of 
a  Lama  monastery  ;  and  as  we  could  not  reach  a  village  before 
nightfall,  we  determined  to  throw  ourselves  on  the  hospitality  of 
the  Order. 

From  a  winding  path  beneath  the  sombre  pines  we  all  at 
once  emerged  on  a  wide  clearing,  in  the  midst  of  which  was 
reared  a  striking  pile.  We  knocked  at  several  doors  before 
anyone  opened,  but  on  gaining  admittance  were  soon  the 
centre  of  a  crowd  of  monks,  fat  and  bronzed,  with  shaven 
heads,  and  draped  in  red  toga  -  like  mantles.  They  belonged 
to  the  Order  of  Red  Hats,  who  had  never  been  hostile  to  the 
missionaries.  Some  were  Mossos,  others  Thibetans  ;  they  spoke 
either  language  equally,  but  only  used  Thibetan  writing.  Our 
hosts  conducted  us  to  a  clean  little  tenement,  occupied  by  a 
Lama  and  his  two  disciples.  At  the  sight  of  money,  eggs  and 
grain  were  quickly  forthcoming  ;  they  brought  us  also  some  small 
apples,  and  a  jar  of  that  beverage  which  the  Thibetans  call 
tchang,  and  the  Chinese  tchaotiou,  in  which  the  owner  of  our 
lodging  pledged  us  freely. 

Hearine  loud  shouts  in  the  course  of  the  evening"  proceedinof 
from  the  space  in  front  of  the  monastery,  we  descended,  and 
beheld  the  Lamas  in  the  act  of  decking  a  post  with  resinous 
torches,  surrounded  with  flowers  and  leaves.  It  was  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  Hopatie.  A  light  having  been  applied,  they 
began     to     sport     round     it,     the     young     bonzes    gamboling    and 

throwing  somersaults  with  very   unclerical   vigour.       Ne.\t,   all,   big 

206 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

and  little,  placed  themselves  one  behind  the  other,  accordino-  to 
size,  each  holding  on  to  the  skirts  of  the  one  in  front  of  him. 
One  was  left  out,  who  made  dashes  at  this  string  as  it  revolved 
rapidly,  like  the  spoke  of  a  wheel.  The  game  consisted  in  the 
single  Lama  trying  to  catch  the  man  at  the  tail,  without  being 
himself  caught  by  the  one  at  the  head. 

The  fire  sinking  low,  the  fete  concluded  with  a  concert  of 
ear-piercing  whistles,  which  each  produced  by  putting  his  fingers 
to  his  mouth.  Spying  a  woman  at  a  little  distance,  a  spectator 
of  these  games,  I  asked  our  host  if  the  Lamas  married — 
"Oh,  never!"  "Then  there  are  none  but  Lamas  here  ."^ " — 
"Assuredly."  "But  I  saw  a  woman." — Embarrassment  of  my 
interlocutor;  he  reflected  a  moment — "Probably,"  said  he,  "some 
female  who  came  to  take  a  walk  here.  But,"  added  he,  "don't 
repeat  it ;  it  would  never  do  to  say  that  the  Lamas  were  married." 
In  reply  to  interrogations  about  Lha^a,  my  Lama  said  he  had 
been  there  four  times,  and  gave  us  particulars  as  to  the  route. 

The  following  morning  we  were  able  to  examine  the  temple 
near  which  we  had  passed  the  night,  and  of  which,  in  the  dusk, 
we  had  only  distinguished  the  outline.  It  was  a  white  rectangular 
building,  with  some  resemblance  to  a  Chinese  pagoda.  Outside 
appeared,  in  conspicuous  iteration,  the  invocation  cut  on  stone — 

OM    MANE    PEDMI    HOUM.^ 

Around  it  were  grouped  several  smaller  structures,  surmounted 
by  diminutive  towers,  with  medallions  of  gods  in  terra  -  cotta, 
horns,    and     inscribed    bones  ;    while    in     front    stood    posts    from 

'  "  Adoration  to  the  Jewel  in  the  Lotus,  Amen  I "  The  Shadakshara  Mantra,  or 
"  si.\-syllabled  charm,"  with  a  combined  sense  of  praise  and  prayer ;  regarded  by 
the  Lamas  with  deep  reverence  as  containing  an  unfathomable  doctrine. — Tk.\ns. 

207 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

which  waved  in  the  wind  long  Ihaders,  white  flags  lettered  with 
Thibetan  characters.  There  could  be  no  doubt  we  were 
approaching  the  confines  of  the  country  of  prayer. 

The  interior  of  the  Laniaserai  presented  a  series  of  courts, 
the  walls  of  which  were  covered  with  frescoes,  inspired  conjointly 
by  Thibetan  and  Hindu  Buddhism  with  Chinese  beliefs.  One 
circular  painting  represented  a  male  and  female,  naked,  before 
a  tree  laden  with  fruit,  round  the  trunk  of  which  a  serpent  was 
entwined,  and  surrounded  by  divers  animals.  Among  the  Lamas 
the  serpent  formerly  was  regarded  as  the  enemy  of  mankind. 
Is  it  possible  that  in  this  picture  was  to  be  discerned  a  survival 
of  traditions  carried  into  Thibet  by  the  Nestorians  ?  It  is  not 
for  me  to  say.  But  the  points  of  resemblance  between  the 
creeds  of  Roman  Catholicism  and  Thibetan  Buddhism,  as 
exhibited  constantly  in  matters  of  ornament  and  ceremony,  were 
too  frequent  and  too  striking  to  be  attributable  to  chance. 
Whence  can  they  have  been  borrowed,  or  who  were  their 
originators  ?     The  question  is  still  far  from  being  solved. 

Pursuing  our    investigfations,  we    came    to    the    central    edifice. 

The   gabled  roofs   rose    in    tiers    above    each    other,  fining    into  a 

kind  of  pyramid,    crowned    by    a    gilt   cupola.       The    door    of   the 

temple    was    willingly  opened  to   us,  but    we    were    requested    not 

to  ascend   to    the    upper    storey,    which    served    as    a    sacristy,    as 

they    were    averse    to     our     inspecting     the     penetralia     of    their 

worship.      In  the  basement  of  the  pagoda    was  seated  a   massive 

gilded    image    of   the    Thibetan    Buddha,    cross-legged,    with    two 

saints,    also    gilt,    of    natural     size,    at    his    side,    holding    tridents. 

Arranged  before  the  Buddha  on   a   table    were    the  seven   copper 

bowls  of  water  usually  seen    on   Thibetan    altars,  and,    a    little    in 

advance    of    them,    another    vessel     containing    oil    and    a    lighted 

208 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

wick.  Behind  and  above  the  idol  a  Krout  deity  was  displayed 
with  spread  wings,  holding  a  serpent  in  his  beak  and  talons. 
To  right  and  left  of  the  altar  the  symbols  showed  traces  of 
affinity  to  Indian  tradition — notably  a  painting,  in  which  was 
depicted  a  female  with  twelve  faces,  disposed  in  four  rows  of 
three,  one  above  another,  and  with  ten  arms,  of  which  two 
clasped  a  heart  upon  the  breast.  The  walls  on  either  hand  were 
decorated  with  saints,  men  to  the  right,  and  women  to  the  left, 
in  blue,  green,  or  yellow,  each  with  an  aureole.  From  the  gallery 
of  the  first  floor  drooped  flags  and  bandrols,  emblazoned  with 
Thibetan  scrolls  and  characters.  Elsewhere  w^ere  bronze  candle- 
sticks, copper  bells,  a  Thibetan  gong,  and  a  fine  censer.  For 
readers  who  have  not  studied  the  question,  it  would  be  of  little 
interest  to  draw  attention  to  the  similarity  between  the  ritual  and 
■ornaments  in  use  by  the  Lamaserai  of  Kampou  and  those  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith,  — •  altar,  lamp,  holy  water,  candlesticks, 
■censers,  bells,  saints  with  aureoles,  the  bird  holding  the  serpent, 
etc.,   are  common  to  both. 

Corresponding  ornaments  and  images  from  Lhaca  were  to  be 
found  before  the  private  altars,  which  each  head  Lama  had  in  his 
private  lodging.  Notwithstanding  their  religion,  these  brethren 
had  no  scruples  against  trafficking  in  these  objects,  but  the  price 
was  prohibitive.  Our  visit  concluded,  nothing  remained  but  to 
take  leave  of  the  Kamapa  (Star,  symbol  of  the  sect  of  Red 
Hats),  and  to  resume  our  journey,  well  pleased  to  have  had 
the  opportunity  and  privilege  of  admission  to  their  monastery. 
This  day,  the  1 7th  (August),  was  destined  to  maintain  its 
interesting  character,  and  to  be  remembered  as  one  of  the 
pleasantest    in     the    entire    record.        For    in    the    afternoon    we 

■entered  upon  a  little  plain,  which  contained  the  village  of  Yetchd 
o  209 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Yetche  is  Mosso,  and  ruled  by  a  petty  king  of  some  celebrity 
in  the  district,  and  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  give  here  a  few 
particulars  of  his  people  and  their  organisation. 

The  Mossos,  belong  to  that  Thibeto- Burmese  family  which 
has  thrown  out  several  offshoots  in  Upper  Indo-China.  In  the 
view  of  Terrien  de  la  Couperie  {^Beginnings  of  Writing  in 
Central  and  Eastern  Asia)  they  would  be  of  the  same  group 
as  the  Jungs  or  Njungs  who  appeared  on  the  frontiers  of  China 
six  centuries  before  Christ,  coming  from  the  north-east  of 
Thibet.  Chinese  historians  mention  the  Mossos  seven  hundred 
and  ninety-six  years  after  Christ,,  the  epoch  of  their  subjection 
by  the  king  of  Nantchao.  Regaining  their  independence  for  a 
time,  and  then  reattached  to  the  kingdom  of  Tali,  they 
recognised  the  Imperial  suzerainty  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and 
were  definitely  subdued  by  China  in  the  eighteenth  century.  They 
and  the  Lolos  have  probably  the  same  origin.  The  names  of 
the  two  peoples  are  of  Chinese  application  ;  and  whilst  the  Lolos 
call  themselves  Nossous  (or  Nesous),  the  Mossos  are  known  as 
Nachris.  The  dialects  of  both  have  many  points  in  common. 
Upon  their  reduction  by  China  they  were  settled  round  Li-kiang, 
within  a  few  days'  radius  of  the  town.  Towards  the  north 
they  extend  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong  to  Yerkalo,  and 
on  the  right  bank  up  to  within  two  days'  march  of  Tsekou. 
Formerly  their  sway  reached  far  into  Thibet,  beyond  Kiang-ka. 
There  is  a  popular  Thibetan  poem,  the  Kdscr,  which  celebrates 
the  exploits  of  a  warrior  who  strove  to  drive  back  the 
Mossos. 

The  men  are  dressed  in  the  Chinese  manner,  but  the 
women  have  a  distinctive  head-dress.  Their  hair  is  gathered 
into    a    knot    and    brdjjght    up    in    front    of   the   head  like    a  horn, 

2  lO 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

with  a  silver  button  on  the  top  ;  behind  this  button  is  fastened 
a  silver-studded  band  from  which  hang  down  behind  the  ears 
a  pair  of  scalloped  ear-rings,  also  silver,  larger  than  walnuts. 
This  ornament  is  only  worn  by  married  women,  and  is  presented 
to  them  by  their  husbands  on  the  birth  of  a  child.  Young 
girls  have  only  the  band  without  the  rings.  As  great  value 
is  set  upon  these  trinkets,  which  are  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  they  are  difficult  to  obtain.  In  the 
rest  of  their  dress  they,  too,  follow  the  Chinese,  with  the 
exception  of  the  wife  of  the  inokoita  (Mosso,  king),  who  has 
an  elaborate  and  pretty  costume.  Over  the  shoulders  is 
flung  a  black  sheep-skin  fringed  with  a  pound  or  two  of  silver 
bangles,  and  little  bells  and  bits  of  glass  at  the  waist.  The 
head-dress  is  identical  in  shape  with  that  of  the  common  women, 
but  the  ornaments  are  of  gold.  A  silken  jacket  with  silver 
and   coral   buttons   and   a  green   skirt   complete  the  effect. 

The     Mosso    worship     is    that    of    spirits.      Carved     posts,     on 
which    a    frequent    design    is    an   eye,    are   set  up    at   the    entry    of 
the    villages    to    avert    evil,    and    to    the    same    intent     within     the 
houses  a  pillar  is   planted    in   the   centre    with   branches,    in.scribed 
bamboos,     and     small     flags     round     it.         The    tradition     of    the 
Deluge    is    known    to   them.       Wizards    they  have  ;  often   made   in 
spite    of   themselves     by    common    consent   if    thought    to    possess 
the    proper    qualifications  for    scaring    evil    spirits,    to    which    must 
be   added  the  art  of  healing ;  for  in   the  event  of  failure  the  elect 
of   the    people    is    occasionally    slain.        On     the     first    dav    of    the 
year  a  feast  is  held  at  which  pig  fattened  on  peaches  is  sacrificed, 
and    nothing    but    Mosso    talked  ;     if    any     Thibetans    are     in     the 
village    they    are    excluded.       The    medicine-man    only    makes    his 
appearance    once    on    such    an    occasion,   to  stamp    a    white    moon 

2  1  I 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

on  the  shoulders  of  the  people ;  and  withdraws  afterwards  into 
the  mountains  for  twenty-five  days,  whither  the  tribe  brings 
him  food.  They  burn  their  dead ;  but  the  ceremony  never 
takes  place  during  harvest.  At  that  season  the  bodies  must 
wait,  sometimes  preserved  in  salt. 

Mosso  writing  has  no  real  existence  as  such.  The  wizards 
make  and  keep  manuscript  books  filled  with  hieroglyphics  ;  each 
page  is  divided  into  little  partitions,  horizontally  from  left  to 
right,  in  which  are  inserted  rough  drawings  of  men,  houses, 
animals'  heads,  and  conventional  signs  for  the  sky,  lightning, 
etc.  I  was  enabled  to  carry  awav  with  me  several  of  these 
books.  The  traveller  Gill  and  the  Abbe  Desgodins  had  already 
taken  specimens  to  Europe,  but  without  a  clue  to  their  meaning. 
The  magicians  explained  two  of  them  to  me.  They  were 
prayers  beginning  with  the  mention  of  the  creation  of  the  world, 
and  ending  by  an  enumeration  of  all  the  ills  which  menace 
man,  which  he  can  avoid  if  he  is  pious  and  gives  gifts  to  the 
magicians.  I  have  been  able  by  collation  to  establish  the 
identity  of  certain  ideas  with  certain  signs,  although  the 
wizards  told  me  they  had  no  alphabet,  and  that  the  hieroglyphs 
were  handed  on  by  oral  tradition  alone.  It  was  interesting  to 
light  among  an  isolated  people  upon  one  of  the  first  stages  in 
the  evolution  of  writing.  Many  of  the  Chinese  characters 
were  originally  simply  pictorial  hieroglyphs  ;  and  had  the  Mossos 
developed  instead  of  restricted  their  signs,  we  might  perchance 
have  seen  in  their  sacred  books  the  birth  of  letters  for  them  also. 

Yetchd,  as  I  have  said,  is  the  residence  of  a  viokoua.  He 
is  of  noble  blood,  and  belongs  to  the  ancient  royal  family  of 
Li-kiang.  The  power  with  which  he  is  invested  by  the  Chinese 
Government    is    hereditary.       His    territory,   which    extends    but    a 

21  2 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

short  distance  to  the  east,  runs  northward  almost  as  far  as 
Atentse,  southward  to  within  two  or  three  days'  march  of  Yetchd, 
and  westward  beyond  the  Mekong  and  the  Salwen  till  it  touches 
the  borders  of  the  Irawadi  ;  but  the  DiokoJia  only  accounts  to 
China  for  his  administration,  that  is  to  say  the  collection  of 
imposts,  in  the  districts  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong.  Indeed, 
China,  on  the  principle  of  divide  tit  imperes,  and  lest  these 
kinglets  should  become  too  important,  has  broken  up  their  spheres 
of  power  on  her  frontiers  by  the  insertion  of  Lamas,  toussous, 
and  other  petty  chieftains.  The  mokoita  is  responsible  yearly 
to  China  for  the  tax  of  the  villages  that  possess  rice-fields,  forty 
or  forty -five  taels  per  village,  the  Chinese  families  paying  him 
the  iipi  or  ground  rent  of  their  holdings.  He  levies  on  his  own 
subjects  every  three  years  the  tithe  of  their  live  stock,  and  to 
him  of  right  belongs  the  yearly  issue  of  a  licence  to  hunt  called 
the  chamachu  rni  (price  of  the  chamaclm  or  flying  squirrel), 
which  more  especially  affects  the  Lissous  of  the  Mekong  right 
bank.  They  must  furnish  besides,  yearly  and  by  family,  four 
tsiens,  paid  in  cereals,  wa.x,  or  money.  Occasionally  the  niokoua 
himself  fixes  the  nature  of  the  contribution.  He  for  his  part 
presents,  also  yearly  and  by  family,  to  one-third  of  his  people  a 
plate  of  salt,  to  another  third  wine,  and  to  the  remainder  meat. 
The  Christians  are  exempt  from  the  corvee  and  from  military 
service,   but  not  from  the  cereals  or  the  four  tsiens. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  year  the  niokoua  receives  a  visit  from 
his  Lissou  subjects,  who  bring  with  them  presents,  not  of  duty 
but  of  respect  ;  it  would  not  be  fitting  to  come  empty-handed. 
One  offers  some  roots,  another  edible  fungi,  a  third  a  pheasant 
killed  en  roide.  They  then  perform  a  dance  before  him — a  round 
one,     in    which    sometimes    as     many     as    a     hundred    men    take 

21 ; 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

part,  and  of  which  the  movement  gets  faster  and  faster  until  it 
has  happened  that  those  who  fell  have  been  trampled  to  death 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  others.  On  the  celebration  of  these 
fetes  each  visitor  receives  from  the  king  wine  and  meat,  more 
than  a  dozen  oxen  being  slaughtered  for  one  repast.  The 
Lissous  are  not  always  tractable  ;  it  is  narrated  that  on  a  recent 
occasion,  dissatisfied  with  their  meal  and  excited  by  drink, 
they  broke  out  into  a  riot,  and  would  have  killed  the  Isctipa 
(Lissou  title  for  the  mokoua,  "great  chief");  but  the  latter,  not- 
withstanding his  youth,  boldly  bared  his  breast  and  dared  them 
to  strike.  This  display  of  courage  appealed  to  their  own,  and 
the  young  king  acquired  a  great  popularity  from   that   momcMit. 

The  Mossos  of  Yetche  are  regarded  as  the  slaves  of  their 
chief;  three  families  can  always  be  called  out  for  service  or  for 
corvee.  Each  of  his  subjects  must  contribute  to  the  building  of 
his  house ;  and  his  field  labourers  receive  their  keep,  but  no 
pay.  The  people  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river  have  a  right  of 
appeal  against  the  viokoiia  to  the  Chinese  court  at  Ouisi.  But 
it  is  never  put  into  use  :  whatever  happens,  his  jurisdiction  is 
invariably  found  more  just  and  less  tyrannical  than  the  Chinese 
tribunals. 

The     father    of    the     reigning    Mosso    mokoua    was    a    trusted 

adherent    to    Yangynko,   conqueror    of    the    Mussulmans    of    Tali, 

and    having  been    deputed    to   reduce    the    Lamaserai    of  Honpou 

(near  Atentsd)  was  there  assassinated.      Although    his    death    was 

avenged   by   Chinese  forces,  and  a  fine  of  three  thousand  taels  plus 

the  head  of  the  murderer  exacted,  this  did   not   satisfy  his  son  and 

successor,    who    sent    two  thousand   Lissou    warriors  (after  making 

them  drink  vengeance  in   bull's  blood,   their  warlike    custom),    and 

devastated  the  villages  belonging  to  the  Lamas  up  to  the  outskirts 

214 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

of  Tsekou,  but  respected  the  lives  of  the  Christians  and  mission- 
aries. Through  the  instrumentaHty  of  the  latter  the  implements 
and  oxen  were  saved  for  the  villagers,  and  Father  Dubernard 
redeemed  the  prisoners  from  the  Lissous  with  a  ransom  of  salt, 
gaining  thereby  such  goodwill  from  the  natives  of  the  Mekong 
that  they  would  hardly  consent  to  his  return  to  his  own  place 
at  Tsekou.  The  young  juokoua  also  bound  himself  by  ties  of 
amity  with  the  Fathers,  and  on  the  occasion  of  the  latter  being 
expelled  from  their  stations  at  Tsekou  and  on  the  Mekong, 
before  recounted,  received  them  under  his  protection,  saying, 
"We  were  friends  in  prosperity,   let  us  continue  so  in  adversity." 

This  recitation  of  preceding  local  events  will  explain  the 
interest  we  had  in  visiting  the  niokoua  of  Yetche  and  in  eainine 
his  friendship,  the  value  of  which  we  were  to  hnd  in  our  further 
travels. 

When  with  a  present  of  a  revolver  and  a  tinder-box,  and 
heralded  by  Joseph,  we  presented  ourselves  at  his  house,  we 
found  a  rambling  edifice  with  a  wide  central  court.  The  walls 
exhibited  a  variety  of  patterns  and  Mosso  hieroglyphs,  all,  as 
well  as  the  mouldings,  the  design  of  the  royal  owner  himself, 
whose  more  ordinary  accomplishments  and  occupations  embraced 
those  of  a  goldsmith,  merchant,  and  cider  maker  on  a  large 
scale. 

At  our  entrance  he  came  forward  himself  to  greet  us.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  regular  features  and  intelligent  expression  ; 
being  in  mourning  he  wore  a  white  turban,  and  a  white  cord  tied 
his  queue.  Our  interview  was  short,  as  we  could  not  accept 
his  hospitality  for  the  night,  and  he  appeared  nervous  and  unable 
to  give  us  much  geographical  information.  I^le  thanked  me  for 
my  gifts,  and  regaled  us  with  tea,  cakes,  and  an  excellent  sweet- 

215 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

meat  made  of  plums,  and  on  our  leaving  presented  me  with  a 
book  of  Mosso  prayer.  By  his  coLirtesy  also  we  were  provisioned 
for  our  journey  with  pork  and  edible  fungi. 

Bidding  farewell  then  to  Vetche,  we  proceeded  to  Dekou, 
another  Mosso  villaafe,  where  in  the  evening  we  witnessed  the 
ceremony  with  which  the  medicine-men  ward  off  evil  spirits 
and  sickness  from  the  dwellings.  Each  wizard  wore  a  circular 
head-dress  with  spreading  fan-like  rim,  from  the  back  of  which 
hung  ribands  ;  in  one  hand  he  held  a  cymbal  with  bells  on  the 
concave  side,  and  in  the  other,  one  of  those  Thibetan  double 
tambourines  which  are  shaken  from  side  to  side.  Behind  them 
marched  one  of  their  number  beating  a  tom-tom  with  a  curved 
stick.  The  procession  entered  each  house  in  turn ;  the  family 
altar  was  decked,  and  cinders  were  placed  on  the  tripod.  When 
the  leader  had  tasted  a  proffered  cup  of  wine,  he  held  it  alolt 
while  pronouncing  a  parenthetical  litany,  in  each  pause  of  which 
children,  covered  with  flour  and  holding  torches,  chanted  a  word 
in  chorus  meaning  "present."  I  imagine  these  to  have  repre- 
sented the  good  and  evil  spirits  invoked.  The  incantation  over, 
the  instruments  were  given  a  final  shake,  a  circuit  of  the  room 
was  made,  and  cxcmit.  At  the  chief's  they  have  to  per- 
form a  dance  in  addition,  which  they  execute  with  a  bowing 
motion,  stooping  with  outstretched  hand  as  if  to  pick  some- 
thing up,  in  a  manner  precisely  similar  to  what  I  have 
seen  in  Thibet.  The  function  ended  round  an  obo  outside 
the  village,  where  torches  were  fixed  to  a  post,  and  children 
flung  into  the  flames  a  powder  which  produced  a  white  flash. 
The  whole  observance  was  a  continuation  of  the  Hopatie, 
which  though  in  China  of  only  one  day's  duration  is  here  pro- 
longed over  several. 

216 


FROM  TALI   TO  TSEKOU 

The  road  traversed  on  the  i8th  (August)  was  good  but 
monotonous,  and  nightfall  found  me  the  guest  of  a  Thibetan  family 
in  a  lonely  little  hut.  The  "  Doctor  "  had  taken  a  short  cut  with 
the  Christian  guide,  and  so  overshot  our  halt  ;  but,  as  the  country 
was  no  lonser  daneerous,  we  felt  no  uneasiness  on  his  behalf.  As 
I  smoked  my  pipe  in  the  moonlight,  I  realised  what  a  tie  is  formed 
by  living  the  same  life  and  enduring  the  same  hardships  :  I  had 
grown  quite  fond  of  Joseph  and  Sao,  separated  though  we  w^ere  by 
a  world  of  ideas  ;  and  even  with  the  other  men  who  had  covered 
so  many  miles  with  us  travel  supplied  a  bond  which  racial  con- 
trasts could  not  wholly  dissolve. 

19th  (August). — A  long  day,  which  seemed  to  me  longer  from 
the  lassitude  induced  by  a  touch  of  fever.  A  line  came  back  trom 
Rou.x  in  the  morning  reporting  all  well,  and  that  he  would  push  on. 
In  the  afternoon  the  valley  contracted :  we  were  now  opposite  the 
spot  where  the  precipice  had  barred  our  farther  advance  on  the 
right  bank.  Here  on  the  left  things  were  not  much  better.  The 
river  had  hollowed  out  the  undercliff,  and  for  some  distance  the 
way  was  a  mere  wooden  gallery  clinging  to  the  overhanging  bluff. 
The  face  of  the  rock  above  us  was  cut  with  large  Thibetan  inscrip- 
tions, the  burden  of  which  was  always  the  same  prayer  found  for 
twelve  hundred  miles  from  west  to  east  throughout  the  country  of 
the   Suppliants. 

We   approached  Tsekou,  and  were  already  within  sight  of  the 

white  houses  of  the   mission,  whence  a  man  came  to  escort  us  to 

the  bridge  of  Tsedjrong,  as  that  of  the  missionaries  had    been  cut  ; 

and   here    Father   Soulie   was   waiting   to   welcome    us.       The    two 

cables  composing  the  bridge  were  fairly  taut,  and  the  leather  slings 

having  been   adjusted   round    myself   and   another,    away   we    went 

with  a  swoop.      As  I  looked  down  at  the  water  all   fear  of  giddiness- 

217 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


vanished.  The  other  side  was  reached  with  the  impetus  of  the 
descent,  and  the  shock  broken  by  a  band  held  by  two  men.  The 
mules  were  soon  disposed  of  in  the  same  manner.  At  every  cross- 
ing the  running 
line  is  greased, 
Ijut  even  with 
this  precaution 
the  cords  wear 
out  quickly. 
When  a  new 
connection  has 
to  be  estab- 
lished, it  is  done 
by  a  light  line 
attached  to  an 
arrow,  the 
stream  being 
d  an  ge  rousl  y 
strong  for  boats. 
On  the  right 
bank  we  were 
met  by  Father 
Dubernard,  one 
of  the  veterans 
of  the  Thibet 
Mission.  In 
twenty  -  eight 

years  this  is  the  second  occasion  on   which   he  has  seen   European 
travellers  :    the    first    was    the    Englishman    Cooper.       The    reader 

may  imagine  what   mutual  pleasure  our  meeting  therefore  gave. 

218 


Father  Soulie. 


FROM  TALI  TO  TSEKOU 

A  ten  minutes'  mule  ride  and  we  were  in  Tsekou.  We  had 
accomolished  the  exploration  of  the  Chinese  Mekong  ;  we  had 
verified  the  routes  of  Cooper,  Gill,  and  the  missionaries  of  Thibet, 
as  well  as  those  of  Garnier  and  the  Pavie  Mission.  After  the  grand 
works  of  Rochill  and  of  Dutreuil  de  Rhins,  there  only  remains  an 
expedition  into  the  Degue  to  complete  the  knowledge  of  the  whole 
course  of  the  great  Indo-Chinese  artery,  the  F"rench  river.  With 
Tsekou  we  had  attained  the  northern  apex  of  our  enterprise ; 
henceforward  we  should  be  homeward  bound.  But  first  to  rest,  to 
talk  with  our  fellow-countrymen,  and  to  reorganise  our  forces  while 
stopping  a  space  in  the  gateway  of  Thibet. 


i.^" 


/luh- 


Passing  a  Mule  over  the  Mekong  al  Tsedjrong. 
219 


Mission   Buildings,   Tsel<ou. 


CHAPTER   VI 


SOJOURN   AT   TSEKOU 

Labours  of  the  Missionaries — Honest  Socialism — Persecution  of  Christians — Population 
of  Tsekou — Cattle  -  rearing — Industries — Hunting — Fauna — Flora — Thibetans — Their 
Religious  ISeliefs — Lamaserais — Customs — Superstitions — Fables — Songs — Return  of 
Roux  from  Atentse. 

A   TWO-STOREYED  house,  with  a  roof  of  Chinese   tiles,  a  terrace,  and 

a  chapel  65   feet   hiyh  with   triple  gables  ornamented  with   Chinese 

designs  and  lattice  wood-work,  formed  the  exterior  of  the   mission. 

The    Fathers   were   justly    proud    of   their    chapel  ;    it    was    indeed 

wonderful   to   find  such   an   edifice  here.      It   had   taken   three  years 

to  build,  with  the  services  of  Minchia  journeymen  from  Kien-tchouan 

on   the  borders  of  the   Blue   River,   and   with  local   materials. 

We   had  for  outlook  in   rear  of  the   chapel  the  stony  ridge  ill- 

220 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 


covered  with  brushwood  that  linked  the  right  bank  of  the  torrent 
of  Tsekou  to  the  Mekong.  Above  and  beyond,  the  mountains, 
with  their  uniform  covering  of  rigid  pines,  rose  to  the  heights  on 
the  left  of  the  river.      Immediately  behind   Tsekou,  hills  were  piled 


sides 


es. 


md 


we 


upon    hills    until    the    horizon    was    shut    in    on 

seemed  to  be  enclosed   within 

a  little  world  apart.      The  eye 

sought   its   only   outlet    to   the 

north,  where  the  Mekong  had 

forced      for     itself     a     narrow 

passage  at  the  base  of  a  high 

mountain     which     occasionally 

emerged  from   its  usual  canopy 

of    clouds,     and     displayed    a 

rocky    summit     patched     with 

snow.     It  bore  the  name  oi  the 

village   beneath     its    shoulder, 

Loukou. 

The  concession  of  the 
Fathers  was  of  considerable 
extent,  and  reached  the  top 
of  the  chain  that  separated 
the  Mekong  from  the  Salvven 
basin,  embracing  in  its  area 
numerous  villages  echeloned  at  various  heiehts,  from  which  on 
Sunday  a  congregation  of  nearly  three  hundred  Christians 
descended  to  mass.  Father  Dubernard  has  collected  the  debris 
of  several  mission  stations,  and  has  become  the  rallying- point 
for    those    believers    whom    persecution   has    driven    to    the    refuge 

As    I 

221 


Father  Dubernard. 


of    this    agricultural     community    which    he    has    founded 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

marked  his  administration  of  his  subjects,  his  help  for  the 
unfortunate,  his  care  of  the  sick,  and  saw  him  supervising  the 
harvest,  laying  by  food  for  the  improvident,  and  giving  instruction 
to  the  young,  he  seemed  to  me  to  resemble  some  bene- 
ficent over-lord  of  the  Middle  Ages ;  or  rather,  in  the  finest 
sense  of  the  word,  from  which  no  reader  need  shrink,  to  be  a 
true  socialist.  For  is  not  he  the  perfect  socialist  who  lives  the 
life  of  his  people,  in  their  prosperity  rich,  and  in  their  poverty 
poor,  who  shares  their  joys  as  well  as  their  sorrows,  and  enters 
into  all  their  fears  ?  Here  we  had  before  us  a  picture  of  ancient 
Christian  communism ;  and  if,  during  the  period  of  our  sojourn 
in  Tsekou,  we  were  strongly  impressed  by  the  cordial  co-operation 
between  the  pastor  and  his  flock,  if  we  marvelled  at  the  mutual 
trust  and  amity  that  each  reposed  in  the  other,  this  state  could 
only  be  attributable  to  the  existence  of  a  common  bond,  the 
sustaining  power  of  one  thought — the  Christian  faith.  Charity  has 
smoothed  the  roughnesses,  and  "  the  cradle  song  of  human  misery  " 
has  lulled  its  children  into  forgetfulness  by  showing  to  every- 
one the  ideal  of  an  earthly  life.  Father  Dubernard  was  venerated 
throughout  the  country-side,  and  looked  up  to,  at  once  for  his 
wisdom  and  his  care,  as  the  benefactor  of  the  land.  His  reputation 
for  healing  power  was  widespread.  When  smallpo.x  ravaged  the 
district,  he  vaccinated  more  than  nine  thousand  persons  ;  and  he 
told  me  with  what  success  he  had  combated  the  prevalence  of 
goitre  by  treating  those  afflicted  with  iodide  of  potassium.  And 
yet,  notwithstanding  all  the  good  that  has  been  wrought  by  the 
mission,  there  is  perhaps  none  that  has  suffered  fiercer  per- 
secution. 

It    is    no    part    of  my   purpose    to    enter    here   into    the    heroic 
struggles  of  the  Thibet  missionaries,  so  ably  set  forth  by   Father 

2  22 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

Desgodins  in  his  book.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  demands  of 
our  minister  at  Pekin  for  justice  to  be  done  to  the  Fathers  have 
been  of  as  little  effect  as  the  promises  extorted  from  the  Tsung- 
li-Yamen.  The  edicts  of  Pekin  are  disregarded  on  the  banks  of 
the  Mekong.  The  authorities  at  Ouisi  refused  to  recognise  the 
re-issue  by  China  in  1894  of  the  article  in  the  Treaty  of  Tien-tsin- 
that  sanctioned  the  acquisition  by  the  missionaries  of  houses  and 
land  in  any  part  of  China  by  private  negotiation  without  the 
interference  of  the  local  magnates.  The  mission  at  Atentse  was 
not  allowed  to  be  rebuilt.  In  that  same  town  lay  some  chests, 
containinof  religious  ornaments  and  effects,  stolen  ei^ht  years  before 
from  the  Fathers.  There  had  originally  been  thirty  bo.xes,  but  the 
previous  mandarin  of  Ouisi  had  declared  there  were  no  more  than- 
seventeen.  The  present  number  admitted  was  nineteen,  which 
caused  the  Father  drily  to  ask  if  they  had  bred  in  captivity. 
Always  and  everywhere  the  same  Chinese  deceit. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Tsekou  was  the  pagan  village  of 
Tsedjrong.  The  besse,  or  chief  man,  of  this  place  was  an  im- 
placable foe  to  the  mission.  It  was  he  who,  in  18S7,  had  menaced 
the  Fathers  with  vengeance  if  they  did  not  clear  out  in  two  days. 
He  it  was  who  had  cut  their  rope  bridge,  and,  while  outwardly 
obsequious  in  their  presence,  had  never  ceased  to  annoy  them  by 
every  means  in  his  power.  To  all  of  which  ill-will  they  had 
replied  by  advancing  him  grain  wherewith  to  pay  his  tribute,  and 
so  avoid  being  clapped  into  gaol  at  Ouisi. 

While  we  were  at  Tsekou  a  Christian  came  down  one  morning 
from  the  mountains,  and  reported  that  three  Lamas  of  the 
Lamaserai  of  Honpou  (Gueloupas)  had  come  by  night,  under 
pretext  of  recovering  a  debt,  and  had  killed  his  pigs,  beaten  his 
wife,   and    carried   off   his    daughter.      It    is    a   dangerous   thing   to- 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

profess  the  religion  of  France  at  the  portals  of  Thibet.  Yet, 
•despite  tile  obstacles  they  encounter,  their  incessant  anxieties, 
and  the  persecution  of  which  they  are  the  object,  the  Fathers, 
posted   like  sentinels    along   the   line  of  the    Mekong,   await,    with 


A  Tsekou  Christian. 

unwearying  patience,  constancy,  and  alertness,  the  da)-  when  they 
shall  be  admitted  into  Thibet  to  carry  the  banner  of  Christian 
religion  forward  to  victory.  We  could  not  repress  our  admira- 
tion while    they  spoke   of  Thibet  as  of   a    promised    land  with  an 

224 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

ardent  zeal  as  unquenched  at  fifty,  after  twenty  -  eight  years  of 
tribulation,  as  at  thirty.  The  traveller,  whoever  he  may  be,  must 
needs  honour  these  soldiers  of  the  faith,  whose  life  is  made  up 
of  self-devotion  and  perseverance. 

Our  stay  lasted  for  three  weeks.  I  stood  in  need  of  rest, 
being  a  prey  to  fever  and  neuralgia ;  and  the  interval  gave  my 
comrade  an  opportunity  of  making  an  expedition  to  Atentse,  and 
of  comparing  his  observations  with  those  that  Gill  had  made  in 
the  same  districts.  Meanwhile  I  had  leisure  to  enjoy  many  long 
talks  with  the  missionaries  about  the  country  they  dwelt  in, 
though,  as  I  have  no  present  intention  of  publishing  an  ex- 
haustive study  of  these  regions,  the  reader  will  not  be  surprised 
if  1  omit  any  discussion  of  more  or  less  familiar  topics,  and  only 
throw  tos:ether  those  fragments  of  information  which  in  the 
course  of  casual  conversation  seemed  to  me  of  rather  special 
interest. 

The  population  of  Tsekou  is  composed  of  Mossos,  Lissous,. 
Loutses,  Thibetans,  Chinese,  and  hybrids.  Tradition  ascribes  to 
the  Lissous  a  southern  origin,  as  their  forefathers  are  reputed 
to  have  possessed  elephants.  A  certain  Chinese  general  having 
once  upon  a  time  subjugated  them  after  revolt,  reported  to  head- 
quarters their  complete  extermination  ;  after  which,  of  course, 
their  existence  could  not  be  officially  admitted  by  the  Govern- 
ment. But  they  continue  to  engage  in  partial  rebellions,  and  look 
upon  themselves  as  insurgents  by  nature.  Those  that  are  most 
active  in  such  vocation  are  the  Kimer  Lissous,  or  Tchioui  Lissous 
(Tchioui  being  Thibetan). 

Suicide  is  of  common  occurrence  with  them  :  drownina:,  hane- 
ing,  or  poison  is  the  ordinary  sequel  to  a  family  quarrel.  Their 
most    usual    method    is    an    arrow    poison    which,    when    absorbed, 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

causes  a  species  of  tetanus,  with  foaming  at  the  mouth  and  speedy 
results.  They  have  a  prophecy  that  a  chief  shall  come  amongst 
them  from  the  west,  who  will  have  a  long  beard.  In  the  early 
days  a  missionary  seemed  to  fulfil  their  expectation,  and  the  first 
Fathers  were  in  consequence  called   Peula  (gods). 

The  occupations  of  the  Christians  are  mainly  agricultural, 
cattle  breeding,  small  industries,  and  hunting.  They  make  butter 
and  cheese,  finding  the  best  milk-producer  for  dairy  purposes  to 
be  the  dzomo,  a  cross  between  a  yak  cow  and  an  ordinary  bull. 
One  such  will  give  nearly  sixty  lbs.  of  butter  a  year.  The 
young  of  the  dzomo  rarely  lives,  or,  if  it  does,  is  generally  puny. 
To  wean  a  calf  the  Thibetans  have  a  method  of  fastening  a  board 
across  the  nostrils,  which,  while  allowing  it  to  crop  the  grass, 
prevents  it  from  taking  the  udder.  The  calf  is  removed  from  its 
mother  at  a  month  old,  and  is  nourished  for  a  while  by  the  farm 
wife,  who  masticates  a  sort  of  paste,  which  she  then  introduces 
into  its  mouth   in  a  manner  more  forcible  than  elegant. 

They  also  manufacture  paper  from  the  bark  of  a  tree.  After 
a  double  soaking,  first  in  plain  and  then  in  lime  water,  the  bark 
is  reduced  with  a  pestle  to  a  pulp,  which  is  again  damped  before 
being  placed  in  a  tank  with  a  framework  bottom,  in  which  the 
substance  settles,  and  when  dry  is  turned  out  as  paper. 

Another  industry  which  flourishes  in  Tsekou  is  the  carving 
of  drinking  bowls  out  of  the  knots  of  certain  trees,  which,  accord- 
ing to  their  shape  or  the  manner  in  which  they  are  grained,  are 
highly  valued  as  possessing  a  charm  against  a  poisoned  draught. 
Some  of  these  dzops,   or  knots,   are  worth  fifty  or  sixty  taels. 

One    of  the    food    resources    of  the    mountain    is    wild    honey, 

found  in   large   quantities  in   crannies  of  the   cliffs    sheltered    from 

the   rain.     To   gather    it   the    Lissous  lower  themselves   by   ropes, 

226 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

to  which  they  give  a  slight  oscillating  movement,  and  each  time 
their  swing  brings  them  within  reach  they  knock  some  of  the 
honeycomb  into  a  basket.  They  take  no  particular  precautions 
against  the  bees  ;  but  when  they  discover  a  swarm  hibernating  in 
the  holes  of  the  rock  they  sweep  it  bodily  into  a  cloth,  which  is 
then  wrung  to  express  the  honey  from  the  bodies.  Whole  swarms 
are  thus  destroyed  for  the  sake  of  a  single  cup  of  nectar.  The 
hillmen  are  very  skilful  in  unearthing  the  hives ;  they  even  pre- 
tend that  they  can  track  the  bees  by  their  almost  imperceptible 
droppings  upon  the  stones.  These  rock-bees  are  nearly  always 
escorted  by  a  little  bird,  to  which  the  natives  have  given  the  name 
of  the  "  bee  king." 

But  hunting  must  be  classed  as  the  chief  pursuit  of  both 
Lissous  and  Loutses.  Their  weapons  of  the  chase  are  poisoned 
arrows,  the  tincture  for  which  is  extracted  from  a  root,  and  is 
said  to  be  very  rapid  in  its  effects.  Thus  armed,  the  natives 
attack  the  most  dangerous  animals,  such  as  bears  and  panthers, 
using  also  swift  dogs  trained  for  the  work.  Before  setting  out 
great  care  is  taken  not  to  divulge  the  direction  of  the  expedition, 
and  the  trail  is  followed  in  perfect  silence.  Arrived  at  the  cover, 
an  augury  is  consulted  by  means  of  lots,  and,  if  necessary,  delay 
is  made  till  this  shall  be  favourable.  The  traces  of  the  game 
having  been  examined,  posts  are  assigned  and  signals  interchanged 
by  horn  blasts.  Well  versed  in  hill  work,  these  men  will  scramble 
up  the  most  rugged  sides  wherever  there  is  hold  for  a  toe,  or 
scale  the  face  of  the  rock  with  the  aid  of  pegs  of  wood  driven 
into  the  fissures.  In  such  places  they  have  to  carry  their  dogs 
into  the  bargain.  In  this  manner  they  will  pursue  the  quarry  for 
five  or  six  days  at  a  time,  and  rarely  lose  an  animal  they  have 
once  struck. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


There  is  another  form  of  sport  after  vultures.  The  season 
for  this  is  the  winter,  during  the  snows,  when  the  birds  are  rendered 
tame  by  hunger.  Baits  are  put  out,  and  the  first  comers  that 
pitch  attract  others.  The  men  are  in  hiding,  and,  as  soon  as  a 
sufficient    number    is    on    the    ground,    fling    a    net  over  the   flock, 

often  bagging  as  many 
as  ten  or  fifteen  at  a 
single  cast.  The  birds 
are  quickly  despatched 
with  sticks.  Their  fat 
is  highly  esteemed  for 
its  healing  properties 
for  wounds,  and  vulture 
feathers  command  a 
good  price  from  the 
military  mandarins. 

The  Lissous  are 
cunning  snarers,  and 
use  their  art  in  captur- 
ing the  monkeys,  which 
do  much  damage  to  the 
crops,  especially  the 
maize.  A  hollow  tree 
trunk  or  bamboo  is 
placed  near  the  grain  patch  with  a  potato  or  Iruit  in  it ;  the 
marauder  inserts  his  hand,  but  cannot  withdraw  it  when  closed 
upon  the  dainty,  which,  rather  than  abandon,  he  holds  on  to, 
and  is  caught.  So  they  say  ;  but,  like  many  mighty  hunters  all 
the    world    over,    the    natives    do    not    let    an    exploit    lose    in    the 

telling,  and  on  the  frontiers  of  Thibet  a  good  story   is  not  spoilt 

228 


/    / 


^    / 
/ 

■    / 


L 


Another  Tsekuu  Christian. 


SOJOURN.  AT  TSEKOU 

for  want  of  imagination.  Here  is  a  contribution  from  Tsekou. 
A  certain  trapper  having  readied  a  ledge  of  rock  found  himself 
in  presence  of  a  she  -  bear  and  her  cubs.  At  sight  of  the 
intruder,  Bruin  snatched  her  young  ones  to  her  breast.  The 
hunter  picked  up  a  big  stone  and  brandished  it ;  whereupon  his 
antagonist  put  down  her  children  and  did  likewise.  The  man  then 
uttered  his  Thibetan  war-cry,  "hi!  hi!"  which  so  terrified  the 
bear  that  she  dropped  her  stone  upon  the  cubs  and  killed  them. 

Wild  beasts  are  plentiful  in  the  surrounding  country.  Among 
them  mention  was  made  of  a  large  boar,  called  a  patsa,  whose 
tusks  are  a  foot  long,  and  whose  flesh  is  scented  with  musk. 
Herds  of  budorcas  (a  kind  of  wild  ox)  have  their  habitat  near 
the  snowline,  and  when  they  come  down  to  drink  follow  their 
leader  in  such  exact  file  that  the  spoor  appears  to  be  that  of  a 
single  animal.  Then  we  were  told  of  a  black  fo.x ;  and  of  a 
civet  called  the  tululu  ;  while  the  nemo j'r her dus,  or  "rock  ass,"  is 
not  infrequent.  The  flying  squirrel  too,  with  its  beautiful  coat, 
is  the  object  of  a  lively  trade  ;  and  the  Ailurus  fulgens,  known 
here  as  the  three-coloured  fox,  is  met  with.  In  addition  there  are 
porcupines,  and  the  rhyzomi  or  bamboo-rat,  which  latter,  however, 
is  only  found  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Mekong. 

The  flora  also  exhibits  many  varieties.  The  natives  have  a 
dressing  for  wounds  made  of  a  composition  of  henbane,  tobacco, 
and  elder  leaves  boiled  and  put  in  oil.  The  fumes  of  henbane 
seeds  laid  on  red-hot  embers  are  inhaled  as  a  remedy  for  tooth- 
ache. But  if  they  avail  themselves  of  plants  that  cure,  they  are 
no  less  apt  in  the  uses  of  those  that  kill.  Poisoner  is  an 
attractive  name  on  which  to  levy  blackmail,  and  everyone  so 
charged  must  forthwith  purge  his  accusation  with  a  bribe.     They 

pretend,  moreover,  that  a  deadly  charm  resides  in  a  certain  snake, 

229 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

which  empowers  it  to  change  its  shape  and  drop  its  venom  in 
the  cup.  Father  Dubernard  instanced  several  cases  where 
persons,  chiefly  women,  had  made  full  confession  of  the  art 
with  the  persuasion  of  a  little  burning  wax  dropped  on  their 
shoulders.      Under  the  circumstances  one  is   not  surprised. 

Similarly,  the  judgment  of  heaven  is  commonly  invoked  in 
the  following  way  : — Two  pebbles,  one  black  and  the  other  white, 
are  dropped  into  a  bowl  of  boiling  oil.  If  the  accused  can  pick 
out  the  white  one,  he  is  innocent  ;  but  should  he  either  shrink 
from  the  ordeal  or  draw  the  black,   his  guilt  is  established. 

In  all  our  conversations  with  the  Fathers,  Thibet  and  the 
Thibetans  naturally  occupied  a  foremost  place.  More  than  any 
other  people  in  the  world  are  these  latter  dominated  by  religious 
sentiment.  From  the  piles  of  prayer-inscribed  stones  that  meet 
the  eye  at  every  turn  of  the  road  ;  from  their  constant  devotions 
in  halt  or  on  march,  when  the  very  winds  and  waters  are  made 
their  intercessors,  and  no  river  can  be  forded  without  the  sign 
of  the  cross  upon  the  forehead ;  from  their  innate  cult  of  the 
unseen  and  the  marvellous,  every  event  and  condition  is  to 
them  an  occasion  for  superstition  ;  while  there  exists  not  a 
peril  which  may  not  be  averted  by  some  practice,  to  their 
apprehension  infallible,  which  has  for  its  origin  a  belief  in  the 
supernatural. 

By  their  own  popularly  received  legend  they  are  the  off- 
spring of  a  she-devil  and  an  ape. 

They    maintain    that    sorcerers    alight    from    the    empyrean    (as 

the  Richis  descend  from  the  Himalayas  at  the  birth  of    Buddha), 

and    tell    a    tale    of    an    individual    who    to    prove    his    power    of 

night  threw  himself  from  a  lofty  rock.      That  this  guileless  person 

was  dashed  to  pieces  is  regarded  as   a  mere   mischance.     Within 

2.^0 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

the  Lamaserais  astounding  deeds  are  credited  to  their  votaries. 
They  open  their  stomachs  and  readjust  their  intestines  without 
a  scar  remaining ;  they  walk  barefoot  upon  the  sword's  edge,  and 
feel  no  inconvenience;  the  living  Buddha  of  Tchamoutong ^  heaps 
up  water  drops  with  his  hand  as  one  might  ice  morsels.  And 
they  of  Tsekou  have  beheld  these  things. 

One  remembers  that  Father  Hue  brought  back  similar  stories, 
and  was  taxed  with  credulity.  And  yet  from  fear  of  seeming 
untrustworthy  he  only  related  a  tithe  of  what  he  saw.  To  corrob- 
orate either  his  experiences  or  the  tales  affirmed  to  me  personally 
would  require  a  protracted  sojourn  in  the  midst  of  the  Lamas 
themselves,  leadino-  their  life  and  sharincr  their  ceremonies.  It 
is  not  beyond  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  they  can  by  the  aid  of 
forces  little  known  to  us,  but  yet  consistent  with  nature,  produce 
manifestations  which  analogy  with  phenomena  observed  in 
divers  other  times  and  places  might  render  worthy  of  considera- 
tion ;  such,  for  instance,  as  those  of  levitation.  Of  course  it  is 
easy  to  dismiss  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders  the  remarks  of 
one  or  even  several  travellers  ;  but  it  might  be  more  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  others  before  ourselves  have  been  able  to  recog- 
nise a  power  similar  to  that  outlined  by  recent  investigations, 
and  have  turned  it  to  the  advantage  of  their  religious  prestige. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  the  Lamas,  whether  sincere  or  the  reverse, 
have  not  been  above  using  deception.  The  liantay  ^  of  Lha^a 
revealed  to  the    Fathers   a  ceremonial    trick   of   theirs.       He  told 


'  Four  days  from  Tsekou,  on  the  banks  of  the  Salwen,  stands  the  Lamaserai  of 
the  Tchamoutong,  the  Lamas  of  which  take  their  grades  from  the  parent  house  of 
D^gue.  It  is  the  ancient  foundation  of  a  celebrated  Mosso  queen,  Mutsien  -  tsong 
(daughter  of  the  chief  of  a  thousand  men),  or,  as  she  was  called  in  her  own  language, 
Azen  diamo. 

-'  Liantay  :  a  special  paymaster  and  delegate  of  the  Chinese  Government  at  Lhaqa. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

them  with  true  Chinese  scepticism  that  at  the  installation  of  the 
Tale  Lama/  before  the  public  seance  at  which  the  newly  elect 
has  to  pick  out  from  a  variety  of  objects  exposed  upon  a  board 
those  that  belonged  to  him  in  a  previous  state  of  existence, 
there  is  a  private  rehearsal  to  coach  him   in  his  part. 

As  is  well  known,  the  sects  of  the  Lamas  are  numerous. 
The  most  ancient,  as  well  as  the  most  moral,  is  that  of  the 
Peun-Bo  (Red  Hats)  ;  within  the  sphere  of  whose  influence  every 
head  of  a  family  is  Peun-Bo.  Their  books  are  very  fine,  and 
their  [)rincipal  divinity  is  the  Nam-la-kerbo  (white  god  of  the 
sky).  When  the  Lamas  shave  their  heads  they  carefully  preserve 
the  hair  and  hide  it  in  a  hole  in  the  wall ;  if  they  were  to  lose 
it  a  great  evil  would  overtake  them.  Some  have  wigs,  which 
they  put  on  as  a  disguise  when  they  wish  to  gad  about  in  the 
evening. 

The  Thibetan  invocation  o^t  mane  pedmi  houm  !  is  rendered 
in  Chinese  by  o  mv  to  fou  !  Father  Dubernard's  explanation  of 
the  origin  of  the  latter  expression  was  the  following  : — The  god 
Fou,  called  also  Che-kia  Fou,  was  born  in  India  in  the  year  kia-yn, 
on  the  first  dav  of  the  fourth  moon.  His  father,  Tsin-fou,  was  the 
ruler  of  a  small  kino-dom.  Fou  issued  from  the  ri^ht  side  of  his 
mother  Moy4-  and  at  his  birth,  pointing  one  hand  on  high  and  the 
other  to  the  ground,  he  proclaimed  :  "  Of  all  things  that  are  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,  I,  and  I  alone,  am  worthy  of  veneration!" 
Married  to  a  woman  named  Yeche,  he  had  a  son,  Loheoulo.  As 
he  was  for  ever  occupied  in  the  chase,  he  paid  no  regard  to  his 
family.     At  the  death  of  his  father  he  became  king,  dissipated  his 


*  The  Tale  Lama  is  a  Chinese  term   foi-  what  is  called  in  Thibetan  chang^uen  diao 
ri   boche. 
-  .Maya. 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

fortune,  and  retired  to  a  mountain  called  Suechan,  a  place  of 
pilgrimage  for  the  Thibetans,  where  he  lived  on  roots,  and  in- 
structed a  few  disciples  in  metempsychosis  till  the  time  of  his  death 
at  thirt)-,  or,  as  others  say,  sixty  years  of  age.  He  remained 
unknown  to  the  Chinese  until  the  Han  or  Tsin  dynasty,  when, 
moved  by  a  dream,  Minty  sent  two  envoys  O  and  My  to  seek  him. 
But  he  was  dead ;  and  the  emissaries  only  brought  back  his  image. 
It  was  from  the  result  of  this  mission  that  arose  the  invocation, 
o  Mv  TO  Fou  (o  MY  living  Buddha)  !  But  his  worship  was  con- 
fined to  a  few.  Hieutsang  sent  a  fresh  embassage  to  India,  which 
returned  with  a  bone  of  Fou,  whose  name  in  infancy  was  Mougny 
(Cakya  Mouni).  The  emperor  thereafter  decreed  that  all  his 
prisoners  should  worship  Fou.  Most  of  them  escaped.  From  that 
time  the  followers  of  Fou  were  condemned  to  shave  their  heads  and 
to  ring  a  bell,  as  a  means  of  identification.  Such,  according  to 
oral  and  written  tradition,  is  the  origin  of  the  Chinese  bonzes. 

Here  are  some  of  the  Thibetan  customs  of  this  region  : — 

A  visitor  is  not  allowed  to  cross  the  threshold  till  a  pipe  has 
been  smoked  outside,  and  the  new-comer  is  ascertained  to  be  free 
from  disease. 

Blood  brotherhood  in  Thibet  is  cemented  by  blending  and  then 
drinking  the  blood  of  the  contracting  parties  ;  but  after  this  mutual 
pledge  all  things  are  not  held  in  common  as  in   Madagascar. 

When  any  beasts  are  lost  a  wand  is  with  much  ceremony  held 
upright  on  the  ground :  its  fall  indicates  the  direction  to  be  taken 
in  the  search. 

In  neighbourhoods  where  there  are  many  panthers,  the 
Thibetans  burn  scented  sticks  in  a  chafing-dish  under  their  animals: 
this  renders  them  safe  from  all  attack. 

In  a  case  of  an  unpaid  debt  where  the  creditor  has  no  proofs, 

235 


FROiM  TONKIN   TO  INDIA 


he  should  seek  to  place  his  hands  upon  a  child  of  the  debtor. 
By  this  process  a  terrible  malediction  is  conferred  on  the 
defaulter. 

Should  a  rich  man  fall  sick  and  fail  of  a  cure,  he  procures  a  con- 
senting pauper,  dresses  him   in   his   own   finery,  gives  him  his  arms, 

and  turns  him 
adrift,  in  the  hope 
that  the  evil  spirit, 
hoodwinked  by 
the  disguise,  will 
transfer  his  atten- 
tions, and  torment 
h  i  m  no  more. 
But  if  no  willing 
scapegoat  can  be 
found  even  for  such 
a  tempting  bribe,  a 
straw  manikin  ma)' 
be  decked  in  a 
similar  fashion,  and 
left  outside.  The 
clothes  generally 
disappear,  if  not 
the  disease. 

Rich  folk,  when 

they  have  attained  a  certain  age,  hold  their  own  funeral  obsequies 
in  advance  with  feasting  and  prayers  for  a  good  end. 

When  the  Thibetans  have  to  defer  the  burial  of  their  dead  for 
any  length  of  time,  they  place  the  corpse   in  a  doubled-up  attitude, 

with   the  head  between  the  knees  and    the    back    broken.       It    is 

236 


A  Tliibetan  of  Tsekou. 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

curious  that  most  of  the  mummies  found  in   Central  America  have 
been  in  this  posture. 

The  Thibetans  are  great  hands  at  a  story,  and  are  much 
addicted  to  fables,  of  which  the  two  subjoined  may  be  taken  as 
specimens. 

The  Fox  and  the  PartridCtE. 

A  fox  having  played  a  trick  on  a  partridge,  the  latter  determined  to 
have  her  revenge.  But  first  she  had  to  lull  him  into  security-  "  To-day," 
said  she,  "we  are  going  to  laugh  fit  to  split  our  sides."  "(iood,"  replied 
the  fox.  Together  they  went  into  a  field  where  there  were  two  men  hoeing. 
The  partridge  lit  on  the  shoulders  of  one  of  them,  and  when  the  other 
aimed  a  blow  at  her  she  flew  off,  and  his  companion  received  the  stroke 
instead. 

Next  day  she  resumed:  "We  shall  be  frightened  to  death  presently;" 
and,  hiding  renard  in  a  thicket,  waited  till  a  party  of  bonzes,  who  were 
conducting  some  rites  over  a  sick  man  at  a  little  distance,  concluded  the 
ceremony  with  cries  and  gunshots,  which  caused  the  fox  the  utmost  alarm. 

The  third  morning  she  remarked :  "  To-day  we'll  play  at  who  can 
stretch  their  legs  the  farthest."  So  saying  she  led  him  by  a  path  into  the 
mountains  where  there  was  a  trap  hidden,  and  began  to  fly  to  and  fro 
over  the  spot.  "What  are  you  doing?"  quoth  he.  "Just  amusing  myself 
with  a  little  game,"  said  she  ;  "  won't  you  come  and  join  me  ?  "  The  fo.x, 
who  by  this  time  had  perfect  confidence  in  her,  followed,  and  was  caught 
by  the  leg  in  the  gin,  where  his  frantic  struggles  soon  ended  his  life. 

In  this  we  see  the  Thibetan  character  for  deliberate  vengeance 
well  portrayed. 

The  Bear,  the  Fox,  and  the  Hare. 

A  bear,  a  fox,  and  a  hare  were  one  day  going  along  together  when  they 
met  a  man  carrying  a  bundle.  "  Let's  play  him  a  trick,"  said  the  mis- 
chievous hare.  "  I'll  sham  lame,  and  when  he  pursues  me  you  must  run 
off  with  the  bundle."  No  sooner  said  than  done  :  the  hare  limped  right 
between  the  man's  legs,  who  dropped  the  bundle  and  gave  chase,  but 
in  vain.  Shortly  after,  the  hare  rejoined  his  companions  in  safety,  and  thev 
proceeded  to  share  the  spoil.  "  You,"  said  he  to  the  fox,  "  are  a  hunter  : 
this  pair  of  boots  will  suit  you  admirably."  And  to  the  bear  :  ''  Why,  here 
are  a  tambourine  and  a  horn  :  just  the  things  for  your  dear  little  ones  when 
they  cry  ! "     The  tsampa  (millet  flour)  and  meat  he  kept  for  himself. 

Next  da)',  when  the  fox  put  on  the  boots,  he  tumbled   about    in    the 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 

clumsiest  fashion.  The  bear  went  to  her  den,  and,  when  her  culis  cried 
for  food,  beat  the  tambourine,  till  they  shuffled  in  terror  to  the  back  of 
the  cave,  and  then  gave  them  a  blast  on  the  horn,  which  killed  them 
outright. 

The  hare    meanwhile   struck    for   home   with    the    food   in    high  good- 
humour. 

The  Thibetans  are  fond  of  recitative  singing,  accompanied  by 
chorus  and  sometimes  by  dance.  These  are  rough  renderings  of 
some  of  their  performances  : — 

\st  I'Dice. — Let  song  the  dance  prelude. 

Chorus  (Jit//). — Let  song  the  dance  prelude. 

1st  Voice. — 

Upon  the  mountain's  yellow  brow 
The  herds  of  musk-deer  meet. 

C/ionis  (fu/l). — id.  repeat. 

Semi-c/iorus  A. — 

Thibetan,  Tartar,  Chinese,  e'er 

Can  they  be  one,  can  they  be  one  ? 
Nay  ;   from  the  first  they  stand  alone 
They  stand  alone. 
Semi-c/iorus  B.  (/'is) — 

If  peace  should  reign,  they  may  combine. 
I".  ,,  jj  ») 

Semi-c/iorus  A. — 

The  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  at  once 

May  they  give  light,  may  they  give  light? 
Nay  ;  till  the  day  be  turned  to  night. 

Be  turned  to  night. 
Semi-i/iorus  B.  (/'is) — 

Now  and  again,  twin  stars  will  shine. 

^"'  n  ))  n 

Scmi-:/ionis  A. — 

The  stag,  the  wild  goat,  and  the  sheep, 
Will  they  consort,  will  they  consort  ? 
Nay  ;  till  the  hills  with  valleys  sport, 

With  valleys  sport. 
Semi-c/iorus  B.  (bis) — 

To  pastured  plain,  yet  all  incline. 
id.  „  „  „ 

238 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

Another — 

isf  Voice. — Let  song  the  dance  prelude. 

Chorus  {full). — id. 

Semi-chorus  ^.— By  Guidam,  in  the  Orient,  are  three  meres  ;  of  gold,  of 
silver,  and  of  turquoise.  Beside  the  sea  of  gold  burns  a  golden 
tree,  from  out  whose  branches  flies  a  yellow  bird,  piping  to  the  tree, 
"  Rest  here  in  peace ;    I  go." 

Semi-chorus  B.  repeats  id. 

Semi-chorus  --i.— By  Guidam,  in  the  Orient,  are  three  meres  :  of  gold,  of 
silver,  and  of  turquoise.  Beside  the  sea  of  silver  glistens  a  silver 
tree,  from  out  whose  branches  flies  a  white  bird,  piping  to  the  tree, 
"  Rest  here  in  peace  ;    I  go." 

Semi-chorus  B.  repeats  id. 

Semi-chorus  .-i.— By  Guidam,  in  the  Orient,  are  three  meres  :  of  gold,  of 
silver,  and  of  turquoise.  Beside  the  sea  of  turquoise  springs  a 
turquoise  tree,  from  out  whose  branches  flies  a  blue  bird,  piping  to 
the  tree,   "  Rest  here  in  peace  ;    I  go." 

Another — 

I.V/   Voice. — Let  song  the  dance  prelude. 

Chorus  (Ju/P). — id.  repeat. 

(Guests  from  afar  greet  the  hosts  within  the  house.) 
Semi-chorus   A.  (guests   zi'ithout).—"  We    are    guests    from    a   far  country  : 

say,  is  it  well  with  the  chief?" 
Semi-chorus  B.  (hosts  «■/////>/).—"  The  chief  is  well." 
Semi-chorus  j5.— "Guests  from  a  far  country;  say,  is  the  Lama  in  peace, 

in  health  ?  " 
Semi-chorus  A. — "The  Lama  is  in  peace  and  health." 
Semi-chorus  i>'.— Guests  from  a  far  country  ;    say,  are    father  and  uncle  in 

peace,  in  health  ?  " 
.Semi-chorus  .-:/.—"  Father  and  uncle  are  in  peace  and  health." 
Semi-chorus  ^.—"Guests  from  a  far  country;  say,  are    mother    and    aunt 

in  peace,  in  health  ?  " 
Semi-chorus  yi.— "Mother  and  aunt  arc  in  peace  and  health." 

Another — 

"  Elder    brother,  elder    brother,  that   gay  kerchief   of  crimson  silk  around 
thy  head,  is  it  thine  or  is  it  borrowed?      If  thy  very   own,   so    may 

239 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

it  be    ever    thine.      How !    borrowed  ? — then    canst    thou    at    best    but 
enjoy  it  three  days." 

"  Elder  brother,  elder  brother,  that  rich  gaou  ^  which  adorns  thy  breast, 
is  it  thine  or  is  it  borrowed  ?  If  thy  very  own,  so  may  it  be  ever 
thine.  Howl  borrowed?  —  then  canst  thou  at  best  but  enjoy  it 
three  days." 

"  Elder  brother,  elder  brother,  those  garters  of  many  colours  that  gird 
thy  knee,  are  they  thine  or  are  they  borrowed  ?  If  thy  very  own,  so 
may  they  be  ever  thine.  How  !  borrowed  ? — then  canst  thou  at  best 
but  enjoy  them  three  days." 

Another — 

Semi-chorus  A. — "  My  friends,  my  country  is  the  fairest  upon  earth  " 

Semi-chorus  B. — "  Fair  country,  quotha  !  There  is  not  where  to  build  a 
house.     To  build  he  must  leave  his  fine  country." 

Semi-chorus  A. — "  My  friends,  my  country  is  the  fairest  upon  earth.  In 
a  strange  land  there  is  nor  peace  nor  joy.  I  hie  me  back  to  my 
own  country." 

Semi-chorus  B. — "  Fair  country,  quotha  !  There  is  not  where  to  rear  a 
palace.     To  rear  palaces  he  must  leave  his  fine  country." 

Semi-chorus  A. — "  My  friends,  my  country  is  the  fairest  upon  earth.  In 
a  strange  land  there  is  nor  peace  nor  joy.  I  hie  me  back  to  my 
own  country." 

Semi-chorus  B. — "  Fair  country,  quotha  !  There  is  not  where  to  found  a 
forum.     To  found  a  forum  he  must  leave  his  fine  country." 

Semi-chorus  A.  (Jin.). — "  Friends,  my  country  is  the  fairest  upon  earth. 
In  a  strange  land  there  is  nor  peace  nor  joy.  I  hie  me  back  to 
my  own  country." 


Another- 


Semi-chorus  A. — 

The  poplar  of  itself  has  taken  root. 
Of  itself  it  has  risen  like  the  hills ; 

Its  branches  skyward  shoot : 
The  earth  has  fertile  grown, 
The  land  a  gem. 

Semi-chorus  B.  repeats  id. 

'  A  reliquaiy. 
240 


sojoiRx  AT  tsp:kou 

Scmi-c/ion/s  A. — 

The  bamboo  of  itself  has  taken  root, 
At  Tsarong,   of  itself,   like  the  hills  ; 

Its  branches  skyward  shoot  : 
The  earth  has  fertile  grown, 

The  land  a  gem. 

Seiiii-ciwrus  />'.   repeats  id. 

Semi-chorus  A. — 

The  grape-\ine  of  itself  has  taken  root, 
111  the  land  of  the   Mosso,   like  the  hills  ; 

Its  branches  bend  with  fruit : 

In  the  jewel  of  all  gems. 
The  Mosso  land. 

Seini-ciiorus  B.  repeats  id. 

Another — 

In  a  rich  valley  a  golden  kieutigne  rose  ; 
Of  colours  five  the  cone. 
There  came  a  rain 

For  years,  one,  two,  and  three  ; — 
.And  the  colours  of  its  dome  were  gone. 

In  a  rich  valley  a  silver  kieutigne  rose  ; 

( )f  colours  five  the  cone. 
There  came  a  rain 

For  years,   one,   two,   and  three  : — 
.\nd  the  colours  of  its  dome  were  gone. 

In  a  rich  \alley  a  marble  kieutigne  rose: 

Of  colours  five  the  cone. 
There  came  a  rain 

For  years,  one,  two,  and  three  : — 
And  the  colours  of  its  dome  were  gone. 

The  kieutione  is  a  huildin"-  in  the  nature  of  a  dobano-  or 
religious  monument,  often  passed  upon  the  roads  of  Thibet,  but 
more  lofty  and  of  better  construction.  The  moral  of  the  song  is 
the  old  one,   tcnipiis  edax  rcruni. 

One  could  sro  on  collecting  these  dance  chants  to  almost  anv 
length.  They  are  of  every  kind,  patriotic  as  well  as  erotic.  .Most 
Q  241 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of  them  are  improvised  on  tlie  spur  of  the  moment,  the  two 
semi-choruses  engaging-  in  an  extempore  encounter  of  wits,  hke 
a  more  or  less  literary  joust,  where  the  art  lies  in  catching  a  fleeting 
cadence  or  a  rhyme. 

On  the  30th  (August)  Roux  returned  from  Atentse :  the  loss 
of  a  mule,  the  drowning  of  poor  little  dog  "  Pinaud,"  who  seeing 
his  master  crossing  by  a  rope  bridge  tried  to  follow  him  by 
swimming  the  river,  and  a  night  alarm  with  a  panther  in  a 
barn,  formed  the  only  incidents  of  his  excursion.  He  had  sighted 
the  three  snow  peaks  of  Dokerla  (stone  ladder),  with  its  fine 
glaciers  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Mekong,  and  estimated  their 
height  to  be  about  17,875  feet.  Dokerla  is  a  sacred  mountain 
of  Thibet,  to  which  a  pilgrimage  is  made  in  the  year  of  the 
sheep,  i.e.  every  twelfth  year,  and,  as  it  happened  to  tall  at  this 
time,  the  "  Doctor  "  had  met  many  folk  from  Tsarong.  The 
women  he  described  as  wearing  over  their  tchaupas  a  sleeveless 
frock-tunic  of  poulou  stuff,  with  horizontal  stripes  in  brown,  blue, 
and  white.      In   their  hair  was  a  silver  disc  tor  ornament. 

Atents(^  is  a  little  town  of  three  hundred  families,  perched 
at  an  altitude  of  10,725  feet,  and,  being  one  of  the  gates  between 
China  and  Thibet,  holds  a  position  of  some  commercial  importance. 
A  portion  of  its  inhabitants  settled  there  from  Chan-si  more  than 
five  hundred  years  ago. 

Trade  consists  in  : — 

Musk  :  eight  or  ten  mule  loads  per  annum,  sold  at  seven  times 
its  weiorht  in  silver. 

Ouaulien  :  a  root  used  as  a  tincture  and  a  drug,  brought  from 
Dzayul,  and  sold  at  forty  taels  the  load. 

Gold  :  in  small  quantities,   sold  at  eighteen  times  its  weight  in 

silver. 

242 


SOJOURN  AT  TSEKOU 

Raw  wool. 

Madder  :  from  Tsarong. 

Ka  :  a  red  dye  obtained  from  an  insect  of  Assam,  the  residue  of 

which  is  used  in  making  sealing  wax. 
Copper :    from    Yunnan.      At    Atentse    there    is    an    accredited 

agent  from  Lhaca,  styled  Deba,  for  the  purchase  of  wrought 

copper  for  the  large   Lamaserais.      For  its  transport  he  can 
command  a  corvee  of  the  people. 

Tea  :  intended  for  Lhaca,  being  a  monopoly  of  Tatsien-lou,  only 

a  little  passes  through  Atentse. 


Clirl  IVf.ini  Tsarong. 


24; 


CHAPTIiR    \II 

TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

Choice  of  Homeward  Route — Caravan  Re-formed — Start  in  the  Mekong  Valley — Fears 
at  Landjre — Early  Obstacles — Francis  Garnicr  Peak —Valley  of  the  Salwen— Loutses 
and  Kioutses  —  Tionra  :  Crossing  the  Salucn  —  Relations  with  tlie  Lamaserai  of 
Tchamoutong — Mules  Abandoned — On  Foot— Tamalou — In  the  IJasin  of  the  Irawadi 
— The  Kiou-Kiang — The  Kioutses — At  Toulong — Difficulties  of  Recruiting  and  Re- 
victualling — Mosquitoes  on  the  Banks  of  the  River — Rock  Climbing — Dcidoum — Aspect 
of  the  Kiou-Kiang  Valley — Our  Men — Gold-Washing — News  of  a  Large  River  and  a 
Plain— The  Du-tchu-mu — Perilous  Position — Saved — Leeches— The  Big  River;  I'eli) 
and  Dublu — On  all  sides  Mountains — Painful  Torrent  March — Death  of  "  Dianiai" — 
Duma— Apon  Explained — Equatorial  Scenery — A  Large  Village — Beside  the  Nam  Tsan 
— Fish-Dam — A  New  Race — Pandam — No  Salt — Melekeu — People  of  Moam  (Khaniti) 
— One  more  Col— \'illage  Fete— The  I'Kiiii.  • 

OuK  Stay  at  Tsekou  was  longer  than  we  had  anticipated.  The 
need  of  rest  (for  a  fortnight  fever  only  left  me  to  be  succeeded 
by  neuralgia  and  other  ills),  the  despatch  of  our  men.  preparation 
for  further  advance,  and  the  enjoyment  of  repose  in  the  congenial 
society  of  our  fellow-countrymen,  all  combined  to  detain  us. 

Now  arose  the  question  as  to  what  routes  were  open  for 
selection.  Having  rejected  the  idea  of  returning  by  the  south  to 
Burmah,  which  would  involve  retracing  a  portion  of  our  steps, 
and  having  negatived  the  already  known  eastern  roads  through 
Yunnan,   our  eyes  were  fixed   upon  the  west. 

If,  after  ascending  the  Mekong  for  several  days  from  Tsekou, 
a  turn  should  be  made  in  this  direction,  we  should  fall  upon 
the    Thibetan    province    of   Kam,    a    dependency    of    Lhaca.     The 

244 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

district  is  governed  by  a  liquid  resident  at  Kiangka,  with  under 
him  three  dcbas,  and  below  them  atjain  three  cheluoono-  at  Menkonc 
Tchraia,  and  Dzayul.  Around  the  Lamaserai  of  Menlcong,  which 
is  situated  at  three  days'  journey  from  the  Mekong,  stretches 
the  Tsarong  country  ;  and  beyond  Tsarong  the  rich  valley  of 
Dzayul  (land  of  the  earthen  pots),  whence  streams  descend  to 
the  Brahmaputra,  as  shown  by  the  pundit  Krishna.  Finally, 
westward  again  beyond  Dzayul,  between  the  Tsangpo  and  the 
Lohit  lies  the  Brahmaputra,  in  the  Bayul  —  a  mysterious  land 
if  ever  there  was  one,  unmapped,  and  as  free  in  the  past  from 
Pluropean  exploration  as  in  the  present  from  the  prying  eye  of 
Russian  or  Indian  scouts.  The  Bayul  or  Pourba  is  divided  into 
Po-Ten  (upper)  independent,  and  Po-Me  (lower)  subject  by  pay- 
ment of  tribute  to  the  second  kinchas  of  Lhaca.  Amoncr  the 
Thibetans  of  the  north  the  Bayul  is  renowned  for  its  robbers 
and  its  horses,  and  the  country  is  reputed  rich  in  gold.  The 
inhabitants  wear  hats  of  ratan,  and  sell  baskets  made  of  the 
same  material. 

From  Tsekou  a  road  goes  north,  which,  after  skirting  the 
Dokerla  and  crossing  the  Salwen,  leads  to  Menkong,  and  farther 
to  Sanguias-Kiendzang.  This  route  offered  temptations,  as  sup- 
posing Sanguias-Kiendzang  to  be  attainable  we  should  there  find 
ourselves  at  the  entrance  to  the  Bayul,  and,  if  access  to  it  was 
rigorously  denied,  there  would  remain  the  alternative  of  taking 
up  the  itinerary  of  Krishna  by  Roema  and  Same.  Only,  in  the 
latter  event  we  should  not  make  many  explorations. 

In  order  to  get  to  Sanguias-Kiendzang,  Tsarong  must  be 
crossed — a  dangerous  province,  the  Lamas  of  which  have  been 
systematically  hostile  to  the  missionaries.  Moreover,  it  would 
not    be   on    the    Chinese   that  we   could  reckon  for  support  against 

245 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  native  authorities,  still  less  upon  fellow- racial  Thibetans.  In 
addition,  in  the  remote  possibility  of  our  success,  the  fact  of  lead- 
ing men  from  Tsekou  into  Tsarong  would  assuredly  bring  down 
reprisals  upon  the  Christians  and  our  countrymen  for  assisting 
us.  In  my  opinion  the  check  appeared  certain,  and  the  attempt 
therefore  useless.  We  were  wayworn,  a  journey  into  Thibet 
would  be  very  long,  winter  would  be  on  us  closing  the  passes, 
and  we  should  not  improbably  end  by  having  to  spend  several 
months  in  some  remote  valley.  Albeit  we  were  here  actually  at 
the  threshold  of  Thibet,  all  these  considerations  forced  us  to 
renounce  the  idea  of  penetrating  farther,  and,  though  it  cost  us 
some  regret  to  relinquish  the  route  to  the  north-west,  we  felt 
that  the  success  of  our  main  enterprise  would  console  us  for 
having  abandoned  an  achievement  so  dependent  on  chance. 

The  upshot  of  these  reflections  was  that  we  decided  to  strike 
due  west  on  the  Salwen,  which  we  should  cross  to  enter  Bayul. 
The  region  which,  south  of  Dzayul,  is  watered  by  the  upper 
basin  of  the  Irawadi,  is  designated  by  the  name  of  the  Rotin 
(ratan).  Bayul  itself  is  in  part  a  dependency  of  the  mokoua 
of  Yetche,  some  Dzayul  families,  and  the  Lamaserai  of  Tchamou- 
tong,  and  partly  free.  The  only  particulars  we  could  gather  with 
regard  to  this  country  were  that  it  was  watered  by  the  Kiou-kiang, 
that  the  ways  were  very  bad,  and  that  naked  savages  inhabited 
the  trees. 

In    this    manner    we    were    about    to    embark    on    the    hitherto 

entirely    unknown,    with    the    hope   of  being  enabled  to    solve   the 

problem  of  the  sources  both  of  the   Salwen  and  the    Irawadi,   and 

with    India  for  our   Promised   Land,   approached   by  a  new  route, 

and  longed  for  as  a  haven  of  rest. 

We  reduced  our  baggage,  retaining  only  twelve  mules  besides 

246 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

•our  own  saddle  animals,  and  sending  fifteen  back  to  Tali  under 
the  charge  of  the  makotou,  with  whom  also  went  our  collections 
up  to  this  point.  The  men  who  left  us  received  a  month's  pay ; 
and  on  the  3rd  September  Briffaud  and  I  went  out  to  see  the 
column  depart.  The  waters  of  the  river  having  risen,  some  diffi- 
culty was  experienced  with  the  mules  at  the  crossing,  but  with 
the  help  of  extra  guy-ropes  all  were  eventually  slung  across  in 
safety. 

Of  our  old  band  we  now  had  only  the  two  Annamites  ;  Fa, 
Roux's  henchman  ;  and  another  Fa,  a  vounaf  Christian  of  ei<ihteen, 
whom  we  dubbed  Siao  (little)  Fa  for  distinction.  Lastly,  there 
was  Joseph,  the  indomitable,  of  course  still  anxious  to  share  our 
fortunes.  In  remitting  some  money  for  his  family  by  the  makotou 
he  took  care  to  consiafn  it  to  Father  Lesfuilcher  ;  "for,"  said  he. 
"  if  mv  wife  has  it  in  her  hands  she  will  be  sure  to  buy  super- 
fluous things."      Prudent  man,  he  knew  the  feminine  nature. 

For  new  mafous  we  engaged  twenty-four  hybrids    of   Chinese, 

Thibetan,    and    Mosso    race.      If   the    mules    could  not  get  on   we 

should  send  them  back    and    replace    our    four-legged    carriers    by 

•bipeds.      This  troop  was  composed  of  eighteen   Christians  and   six 

pagans,  a  mixture  provided  with  a  view  to  secure  the  missionaries 

from     any     future     molestation     on     our    account     from     the    local 

authorities.      The    hiring    of   the    heathens   was    not    done    without 

difficulty.      They   were    supplied    by    the    chief   of   a    neighbouring 

village,  the  besse  of  Tsedjrong,  a  h3'pocritical   rascal,  all   devotion 

to    our    face    and    detestation    behind   our   backs.      It   was    he   who 

had    destroyed    the    Fathers'    bridge,    and    was    seeking    by    every 

means  to  dislodge  them  from  Tsekou   in  order  that  he   might   lay 

hands  on  their  property.      And  in  return   for   this    treatment    they 

.advanced  him   money  wherewith  to  pay  the   taxes  and  escape  the 

247 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

])rison  at  Ouisi.  It  was  an  undeserved  good  fortune  that  brought 
him  into  relations  with  such  charitable  men.  He  tried  to  foist 
upon  us  some  of  his  own  kindred,  demanding  a  guarantee  in 
writing  against  any  mishap  that  might  befall  them  on  the  road, 
and  got  from  us  a  suitable  answer.  The  missionaries  suggested 
that  the  heathens  should  enter  into  a  written  engagement,  to  be 
cancelled  if  incapacitated  by  sickness  or  other  accident.  The 
Tsedjrong  folk  then  drew  up  a  form  of  contract,  i)ut  couched  in 
impertinent  terms,  alluding  to  Father  Dubernard  as  "the  Tsekou 
Chinaman,"  and  filled  with  misspellings  by  the  besse  in  order  to 
hide  its  authorship.  We  rejected  the  document,  and  it  was  after- 
wards rewritten  in  conformity  with  our  wishes.  The  men  were 
to  have  si.x  taiils  a  month — high  pay  for  these  parts.  Wc  pro- 
vided them  with  food,  and  each  received  two  taels  in  advance  to 
leave  at  his  home.  The  Christians  requested  that  their  wages 
should  be  deferred  until  their  return  ;  and,  calculating  the  journey 
at  three  months,  we  left  a  sum  for  them  in  the  hands  of  the 
P^athers,  only  to  be  redeemed  on  production  ot  a  certificate  from 
us.  This  may  be  taken  as  an  instance  of  the  trust  and  re.spect 
inspired  by  our  countrymen  in  that  region,  when  Christian  and 
heathen  alike,  rude  but  home-staying  and  timid  by  nature,  were 
willing  to  enter  an  unknown  country  of  ill  repute  in  our  service 
upon  the  simple  bond  of  the   blathers  for  our  honesty. 

We  have  incurred  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  French  mission- 
aries which  we  can  never  adequately  requite,  and  I  am  fain  here 
once  more  to  place  on  record  my  recognition  and  regard.  With- 
out their  timely  help  we  could  never  have  brought  to  a  success- 
ful  issue,   nor  even   prosecuted  further,  our  expedition  into   India. 

By    the    loth    of  September  our  arrangements  were  made,   our 

.supplies   collected,    and    money   deposited.      It    took   some   time    to 

248 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

calculate  the"  last  in  a  country  where  neither  a  coinage  standard 
nor  paper  currency  were  in  use,  and  value  goes  by  weight.  The 
business  occupied  a  whole  day.  We  left  with  the  Fathers  sixteen 
hundred  taels,  carrying  with  us  only  the  smallest  possible  amount. 

Our  personal  belongings,  fine  by  degrees,  were  speedily 
packed,  and  still  more  quickly  loaded.  It  was  wonderful  to 
watch  the  address  with  which  the  Thibetans  harnessed  the 
animals.  They  adopted  a  different  method  from  the  Chinese. 
On  the  beast's  back  were  laid  three  pads  with  two  small  boards 
on  top,  breast  and  crupper  straps  held  in  position  a  splinter-bar 
which  in  steep  descents  pressed  on  the  flanks  ;  the  pack-saddle, 
not  detachable  en  bloc  as  in  China,  was  fastened  by  a  girth  ;  and 
the  load,  instead  of  being  placed  horizontally,  was  secured  verti- 
cally to  the  boards  by  thongs  ;  by  this  means  less  angles  were 
exposed  in  narrow  defiles  than  by  the  Ytinnan  method.  Some 
packages  were  put  on  the  men's  shoulders.  We  now  had  eleven 
pack  and  six  saddle  mules,  and  with  twenty-three  porters  and 
muleteers  (three  having  been  despatched  in  advance  to  buy  pro- 
visions on  the  banks  of  the  Salwen)  an  imposing  troop  of  thirty- 
tour  men  was  formed.  Well  as  I  already  knew  them,  I  could 
not  but  be  struck  afresh  with  the  cheery  animation  and  activity 
of  the  Thibetans.  They  seemed  to  have  real  blood  in  their 
veins,  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  inertness  which  is  so  exasperat- 
intr  in   the  Chinese. 

At  our  departure  a  fine  rain  was  falling.  Notwithstanding 
the  dulness  of  the  skies,  each  one  of  us  felt  light-hearted  to  be 
once  more  en  route,  bound  lor  the  unknown,  curious  as  to  the 
secrets   of  the   Salwen,   its   inhabitants,    and   what   lay   beyond. 

On  account  of  the  wet,  most  of  the  men  carried  their 
wool    boots    slung    Thibetan    fashion    round    their    necks,    and    on 

249 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

slippery  ground  went  barefoot.  As  we  threaded  the  upward 
valley  of  the  Mekong  we  passed  through  Tsedjrong,  where  our 
friend  the  besse  awaited  us  with  a  scraggy  duck  in  his  liand  as 
a  present,  nor  was  he  above  accepting  a  rupee  in  acknowledg- 
ment. Beside  the  rice-fields  which  we  traversed  there  grew  a 
plentiful  crop  of  tares,  the  peasants  professing  that  in  addition 
to  their  furnishing  good  feed  for  the  cattle,  by  cultivating  tlu-m 
on  the  confines  of  their  plots  they  prevent  them  overrLinning 
the   latter. 

At  I  1.30  Fathers  Soulie  and  Liard  bade  us  adieu.  Father 
Dubernard  continued  with  us  a  space  longer.  Clad  in  a  velvet 
vest  and  a  large  red  hood,  <!  la  C/iinoisc,  and  mounted  on  his 
little  white  horse  with  red  neck-tassels,  the  "  Chief  of  T.sekou " 
with  his  long  white  beard  appeared  like  some  patriarch  of 
bygone  days,  an  object  of  veneration.  At  midday  our  men 
made  a  halt  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  much  shorter  than  that  of 
our  old  caravan.  None  the  less  were  the  packs  lifted  off,  a' 
fire  promptly  lit,  and  the  tea  thrown  into  the  pot  to  boil.  The 
beverage  was  then  poured  with  some  butter  into  a  wooden 
tube  fitted  with  a  strainer,  and  stirred  with  a  long  spoon.  Each 
man  brought  his  porringer  for  his  share,  which,  with  a  ration 
of  tsampa,^    kneaded   into   balls,   constituted    his    simple   repast. 

As  we  proceeded  through  the  village  of  Regny  the  natives 
that  met  us  saluted  us  by  clasping  their  hands,  or  more  often 
with  palms  u[)permost  as  if  for  an  offering,  and  by  inclining 
their  bodies.  Among  them  was.  pointed  out  to  us  one,  a 
hunter,  who  had  committed  several  murders,  but  whom  none 
dared  arrest.  At  a  little  distance  from  Fan-fou-pin  superstition 
marked    the    abode    of   a    djin    to    which    respectful    perfumes    are 

'  Tsampa  =  millet  (lour. 


TSEKOU  TO   K  HAM  IT 

burnt  from  afar.  In  the  village  of  Sere,  where  we  stayed  for 
the  night,  we  were  the  recipients  of  gifts,  in  token  of  gratitude 
to  Father  Dubernard,  by  whose  intervention  a  portion  of  their 
belongings  had  been  saved  to  the  people  from  the  expedition 
of  the  mokoua  of  Yetche.  Those  of  the  villagers  who  were 
too  poor  to  have  gaous^  carried  round  their  necks  amulets 
hidden  in  bamboo  tubes.  The  women  had  their  hair  parted  in 
the  middle  and  hanging  down  behind  in  a  number  of  tails, 
united  lower  to  form  a  plaited  queue.  \\"e  slept  in  a  Thibetan  house, 
with  a  ground-floor  of  lime-washed  walls  and  a  spacious  terrace, 
on  which  stood  a  row  of  small  white  pyramids,  holding  bunches 
of  bamboo  and  serving  as  altars.  Over  the  door  'was  a  stone 
bearing  the  inscription,  OM  mank  pedmi  houm,  surrounded  with 
serpents. 

On  the  iith  (September)  we  took  leave  of  Father  Duber- 
nard, and  juirsued  our  way  up  the  course  of  the  river.  The  road 
led  beneath  a  defile  formed  of  mia^htv,  iao-o-ed  rocks,  called  b\- 
the  Thibetans  the  second  gate  of  Sima-Chan  ;  the  first  was  at 
Lota.  Cooper  named  it  the  Gorge  of  Hablus,  in  memory  of 
his  protector. 

Near  the  village  of  Gotra  we  made  our  breakfast  beside  a 
hot  sulphur  spring,  the  waters  of  which  were  at  a  temperature  of 
of  113"  Fahr.  Nam  caused  some  amusement  here:  as  he  was 
suffering  from  sore  legs,  we  counselled  a  warm  bath  ;  whereupon 
the  simple  Annamite  without  hesitation  jumjied  into  the  torrent  a 
hundred  yards  farther  off  Beyond  Gotra  we  redescended  to  the 
actual  brink  of  the  Mekong  through  forests  of  superb  coniferse, 
and,  after  crossing  a  foaming  torrent,  camped  in  the  brushwood  on 
the  far  side.      This  was  our  last  bivouac  on  the  Mekong. 

'  Gaous  =  reliquaries,  clianns. 

2qi 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

The  torce  burst  chafing-  from  a  narrow  breach  of  wild  and 
lofty  grandeur,  which  it  seemed  to  have  riven  for  itself  in  its 
escape  from  the  ravine  ;  the  sides  were  lined  with  horizontal 
strata,  revealing  the  geological  formation  of  the  innermost 
mountain  ;  and  the  glen  disclosed  a  bottom  of  grey  stones  sown 
with  needle-pointed  firs.  But  so  constricted  was  the  entrance, 
and  so  forbidding  the  aspect  of  the  beetling  cliffs,  that  it  looked 
barely  possible  that  we  could  penetrate  their  recesses. 

It  was,  however,  through  this  pass  that  our  route  of  the 
13th  (September)  took  us,  when  we  left  behind  for  good  the 
actual  Mekong  valle)-  to  turn  our  faces  to  the  west.  The 
path  clung  in  zigzags  to  the  wall  of  rock,  shored  up  in  many 
places  by  props  of  wood  driven  into  its  face.  It  was  as  fine  a 
piece  of  engineering  as  one  might  see  in  Switzerland,  but 
hardly  looked  to  meet  with  here.  Once  through  the  rift,  our 
descent  was  fairly  rapid,  having  sombre  fir-clad  boulders  on 
our  left  and  a  towering  red  cliff  over  against  us.  This  part  of 
the  scenery  was  very  fine,  and  recalled  that  of  the  canons  in  the 
Rocky   Mountains. 

A  bridge  being  reported  cut  in  front,  our  men  asked  us  to 
go  forward  ;  and  we  learned  that  the  Lamas  of  Tchamoutong 
had  received  orders  from  Sanguias-Kiendzang  to  impede  our 
progress  by  all  means  in  their  power,  threatening  with  death 
anyone  who  should  show  us  the  road  to  the  Salwen.  We  paid 
little  heed  to  these  rumours,  as  we  knew  that  Tchamoutons:  had 
not  had  time  to  communicate  with  the  other  and  receive  a 
reply  ;  but  they  had  their  effect  on  our  men.  Sure  enough, 
about  two  hours  farther  on  we  came  to  the  site  of  a  bridge  of 
which  one  spar  alone  was  left,  and  that  a  rickety  one  with 
barely  breadth   to  put   one    foot    before    the    other.       The    rest    of 


I  uh    .St 


jHclii 


TSEKOU   TO  KHAMTI 


the  beams  had  been  withdrawn  to  the  far  side.  At  great 
personal  danger  one  of  our  porters  got  across,  and,  fastening  a 
noose  to  the  planks,  in  half  an  hour  we  re-established  the 
connection. 

We  then  advanced  with  our  guns  at  the  head  of  the  column 
down  a  widening  val- 
ley till  we  came  to 
the  village  of  Landjre. 
It  was  built  at  the 
confluence  of  two 
rapid  streams,  with 
large  Thibetan  houses 
situated  on  terraces 
in  the  midst  of  fine 
culture,  chiefly  maize 
and  walnuts.  Here 
two  roads  branched — 
one  to  the  left,  whicli 
we  should  follow  ;  the 
other  to  the  right, 
leading  to  Tsarong, 
and  used  by  the  pil- 
grims of  Dokerla 
returning    from    the  _^„  ^^^^ 

Mekong.       Any   other 

route  would  have  vitiated  their  pilgrimage.  In  the  entry  to  the 
village  were  some  obos  and  a  kortclieii  (a  little  erection  in  shape 
like  a  lotus  bud),  and  from  the  roof  of  the  latter  projected  a  staff, 
supporting  several  iron   rings  and  a  red  crescent. 

At  our  approach  the  inhabitants  came  out  in  astonishment,  but 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

with  friendly  salutations  and  no  demonstrations  of  hostility.  I 
asked  why  they  had  removed  the  bridge,  but  only  elicited  the 
invariable  answer,  "Jem  pou  te  "  ("I  don't  know").  Nearly  as 
bad  as   Maitre   Pathelin's  "  be." 

Through  our  men  we  heard  that  these  villagers  had  cause  to 
fear  the  Lamas.  Placed  on  the  frontier  of  Thibet,  Landjre  has  to 
stop  all  strangers,  and  would  suffer  for  any  neglect  of  orders. 
Great  was  their  relief,  therefore,  when  we  did  not  take  the  road  to 
Tsarong.  We  pitched  our  four  tents  in  the  fields  above  the  place, 
and,  despite  a  rainy  evening,  the  men  danced  round  the  fire  with 
little  apparent  concern  for  the  future. 

The  next  day,  and  the  ne.xt,  it  rained,  with  only  slight 
intermission.  We  marched  through  virgin  forests,  where  the  large- 
leaved  bamboos  soaked  us  through.  A  rare  gleam  of  sunshine  lit 
up  a  savage  scene  of  torrent,  rock,  and  tree,  of  which  it  would  be 
hard  to  convey  an  idea.  Pines,  and  oaks,  and  giant  chankas, 
with  boles  of  i8  feet  diameter  and  long  grey  beards  of  pendent 
creepers,  choked  the  slippery  path  with  tangled  roots  and  fallen 
trunks.  It  took  the  mules  six  hours  to  accomplish  what  we  did 
in  three.  Our  camp  of  the  13th  (September),  among  lilies  and 
rhododendrons  on  the  edge  of  the  euphoniously  named  torrent  Lili, 
we  called  Tululu,  after  a  sort  of  civet  which  we  had  seen  in  the 
woods.  Our  men  had  the  inspiration  to  lead  with  them  from 
Landjre  two  of  the  long  horizontal-horned  sheep  of  the  country. 
The  14th  (September)  was  a  heavy  day.  We  crossed  the  Lili,  and 
mounted  the  left  bank  by  sliding  zigzags,  where  the  mules  fell 
constantly  and  the  men  had  to  carry  most  of  the  loads.  Above  the 
zone  of  rhododendrons,  and  "water,  water  everywhere" — in  the 
grass,  on  the  rocks,  in  the  atmosphere,  with  the  thermometer  only 

3    above    freezing.      I   think  if  one  wanted  stage    scenery   for    the 

256 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 


"  Realm  of  Rain,"  here  would  be  the  spot  to  study  it.  At  length 
we  ran  the  stream  to  its  source  in  a  swamp.  This  was  the  col, 
12,350  feet,  and  the  limit  of  the  basin  of  the  Mekong,  which  we 
were  about  to  quit.  The  col  marks  a  depression  in  the  chain  ; 
above  it  and 
around,  the  sum- 
mits are  of  great 
height.  To  our 
left  rose,  grim 
and  grey,  a  for- 
midable array  of 
fanged  ridges, 
presenting  a 
confusion  of  pin- 
nacles like  the 
spires  of  some 
Gothic  monu- 
ment. To  the 
highest  of  these 
we  grave  the 
name  of  Francis 
Garnier  Peak,  in 
memory    of    the  ,, 

famed      explorer 

I-     ,         i\  T    1  Francis  Gamier  Teak. 

01  the   Mekong. 

On    the    other    side    of    this   neck,    and   about    600   feet    lower, 

we    landed   in  a    wide    morass,    impossible    of    circumvention,    and 

had   no  choice   but   to  plunge  boldly    through.      The    deep   baying 

of  a  dog  now  betrayed  the  vicinity  of  a  little  hut,   whence  we  were 

greeted    with   the   Thibetan  alarm-cry,    "Hihihi!"     However,    the 
R  257 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

occupants  proved  to  be  not  more  terrible  than  four  herdsmen  of 
Landjre,  who  spend  six  months  of  the  year  on  the  pastures  with 
their  cattle,  a  few  oxen,  half-bred  dzas,  and  black  yaks,  with  their 
comic  tufted  tails.  Round  the  cabin,  which  was  open  to  the  four 
winds  and  very  cold,  were  ranged  wooden  kegs,  used  as  churns. 
Their  method  is  to  stir  the  milk  in  them  with  a  circular  perforated 
paddle  until  the  butter  comes.  This  removed,  the  residue  is  poured 
into  a  large  pot  on  the  fire,  and  the  whey  as  it  rises  is  strained  off 
through  a  basket,  while  the  curds  are  dried  at  the  fire.  Their 
spare  time  they  employ  in  carving  wooden  bowls  and  spoons,  always 
singing  at  their  work,  and  subsist  on  the  ordinary  Thibet  fare 
of  tsampa,  and  tea  flavoured  with  butter.  Even  here,  on  the  tops 
of  their  mountains,  in  their  miserable  shanty,  they  do  not  omit 
the  observance  of  their  religion.  There  was  a  shrine  on  a  stone ; 
and  before  drinking  the  tea  our  hosts  poured  a  little  into  a 
saucer,  which  they  placed  before  it.  On  seeing  that  I  observed 
the  action,  they  raised  a  hand  simply  towards  the  sky.  There 
was  something  grand  in  the  childlike  faith  of  these  half -clad 
shepherds. 

Some  of  our  men  had  to  pass  the  night  in  the  open,  beside  the 
packs  which  had  not  reached  the  summit.  They  were  to  be  pitied. 
In  the  general  misery  Nam  excited  my  compassion  as  much  as 
any.  He  arrived  benumbed  and  speechless,  and  had  to  be  rubbed 
down  by  the  fire  before  his  features  relaxed  into  that  most  hideous 
grin  with  which  nature  ever  disgraced  human  countenance,  whilst 
he  fumbled  for  his  pipe.  It  was  a  far  cry  from  the  chill  mist  and 
crags  of  Thibet  to  the  warmth  and  palm-trees  of  Saigon. 

15th  (September). — In  the  clearer  morning  air  the  outline  of 
Francis  Garnier  Peak  was  sharply  defined.  I  profited  by  the 
intermittent  arrival  of  belated   baggage    to    do   a   little   botanising, 

258 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

and,  notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the  season,  was  still  able  to 
obtain  twenty-six  specimens  of  mountain  flora.  The  yaks  had  gone 
early  on  to  the  pasture.  There  they  showed,  black  dots  between 
the  rocks,  conspicuous  among  the  other  cattle  from  their  bison-like 
humps.  One  large  male  stood  sentinel  apart,  and  gazed  on  us 
with  wonder. 

Before  leaving  we  bought  the  watch-dog  of  the  herdsmen,  an 
animal  of  the  line  Thibetan  breed,  black  and  tan,  with  short 
muzzle  and  massive  head,  adorned  with  a  regular  mane.  He  was 
named  "Diamai"  ("red"),  and  would  be  a  chum  for  the  small 
terrier  "  Boursica,"  given  us  by  the  Fathers.  The  same  evening, 
after  a  downward  climb  to  bivouac  among  dripping  rhododendrons, 
Diamai,  an  elderly  carrier,  and  one  of  the  sheep,  failed  to  answer 
the  roll-call.  The  two  following  days  we  kept  on  through  damp 
forests,  mostly  in  drenching  rain.  All  were  now  on  foot  ;  in  my 
case  luckily,  since  my  mule  had  a  nasty  fall  in  one  spot.  On  the 
third  morning  we  came  upon  our  stragglers,  the  old  porter  seated 
by  some  half-burnt  logs,  smoking  his  pipe,  between  the  dog  and  the 
sheep.  They  had  lost  the  way,  and  so  got  ahead  of  us  in  the  dark. 
We  could  not  sufficiently  praise  our  men,  who,  without  a  dry  stitch 
upon  them,  performed  their  arduous  toil,  which  now  combined  that 
of  mafou  and  carrier,  without  a  murmur,  and  generally  ended  up 
the  day  with  songs  and  laughter  round  the  fire.  As  for  ourselves, 
we  had  now  got  our  walking  legs,  and  were  fit  for  anything.  But 
for  the  eternal  rain,  it  would  have  been  delightful. 

On  the  1 8th  (September)  we  emerged  from  the  woods  and 
came  into  the  region  of  dwellings  again,  passing  presently  the 
hamlets  of  Feu-la  and  Meuradon  on  an  affluent  of  the  Salwen. 
Wretched  collections  of  huts  upon  piles  they  were.  The  in- 
habitants  were   Loutse.       By    Loutses   were    no    longer    meant,   as 

259 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 

before,  Tsekou  Lissous  frequenting  the  valley  of  the  Salwen,  but 
several  distinct  tribes  with  their  own  language  and  customs. 

The  Loutses  belong  to  an  interesting  race  hardly  met  with 
in  the  latitude  of  Tsekou.  They  are  bounded  on  the  north,  at 
two  or  three   days'  distance  from  that   place,    by  the    folk    of  the 


lip^^'^^-yr  ^l 


jO- 


Kioutse  Types. 


Tsarong,   scattered  among  whom   a   few   rare    Loutse  families  are 

to  be   found.     A   few  days   to  the  south  their  limits  are  with  the 

Lissous,  of  whose  incursions  we  had  heard  so  much  in  the  course 

of  our  ascent  of  the  Mekong.     The   Loutses  therefore  occupy  the 

mountains   between   the   Mekong   and   Assam.     At    the    height    at 

260 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

which  we  crossed  the  Salwen  they  styled  themselves  Anous ;  a 
little  farther  north,  Melams  ;  and,  advancing  westward,  at  Tamalou, 
Diasous. 

In  the  basin  of  the  Kiou-kiang  the  mountaineers  are  termed 
by  the  Chinese,  Kioutses.  They  are  closely  akin  to  the  Loutses, 
possessing  almost  the  same  dialect.  Their  precise  denominations 
are  successively  Toulongs  on  the  banks  of  the  Kiou-kiang, 
Tandsards  by  the  river  Telo,  Reouans  at  Duma,  and  Louans  at 
Pangdam.  The  people  of  Khamti,  that  is  to  say  the  Thai's,  know 
them  under  the  generic  title  ot  Khanungs;  and  this  is  the  name 
marked  on  the  English  maps.  The  same  Khamti  Thais  call  the 
Mishmis,  Khamans.  It  is  probable  that  the  first  syllable,  Kha,  is 
identical  with  the  name  by  which  the  Laotians  describe  the  hill 
tribes  of  Indo-China.  Kha  would  mean  a  sort  of  domestic  slave. 
Finally,  the  Thibetans  speak  of  the  Loutses  as  Ngias  (imbeciles). 
The  Loutse  language  differs  entirely  from  the  Lissou,  and  con- 
tains but  few  Thibetan  words.      Its  construction,  too,   is  dissimilar. 

The  Loutses  relate  their  own  origin  thus  : — There  lived  for- 
merly on  Pemachou  (a  mountain  which  we  afterwards  saw  on 
reaching  the  Kiou-kiang)  a  man  and  his  wife  who  had  nine 
sons,  each  of  whom  in  their  turn  married.  One  became  king  of 
Thibet,  and  another  king  of  Pekin.  Then  these  two  asked  their 
seven  brothers  for  money.  The  latter  refused,  and  proposed  to 
make  war  on  them.  But  the  mother  interceded,  saying,  "  I  am 
the  mother  of  you  all.  Do  not  quarrel ;  you  seven  ought  to  give 
each  a  little  to  the  two  who  are  kings."  Her  counsel  prevailed  : 
and  that  is  how  the  seven,  who  peopled  the  district  of  the 
Loutse-kiang  and  became  the  Loutses,  came  to  render  tribute 
to  China. 

Like  the  Lissous,  the  Loutses  are  not  the  owners  of  the  soil. 

261 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


When  they  wish  to  clear  a  mountain  they  pay  a  sum  to  the 
mokoua  or  to  their  chief,  who  will  later  adjudge  the  impost  of 
the  village.  But  he  can  also,  if  he  likes,  evict  the  new  tenants. 
On  the  frontier  of  Thibet  these  hillmen  come  freely  into  the 
Lamaserais,  but  are  spectators  only  of  the  religious  exercises. 
The  Loutses  are  usually,  but  not  by  law,  monogamists.  A  pro- 
posal for  the  hand  of 
a  daughter  is  made 
by  offerings  to  the 
parents — some  wine, 
a  knife,  or  a  pot, 
on  the  acceptance 
of  which  depends 
that  of  the  suitor. 
Their  consent  ac- 
quired, a  betrothal 
feast  ensues,  with 
more  gifts  from  the 
bridegroom — larger 
jars  of  spirit,  a  pig, 
a  pot,  a  tripod, 
ear  -  rings,  and  a 
tchaupa  (Thibetan 
garment),  with  the  necessary  viands.  The  newly  wedded  hus- 
band visits  his  bride  at  his  discretion  ;  after  a  year  of  probation 
the  wife  takes  up  her  abode  with  him.  Should  any  discord  arise, 
the  parents  must  return  the  son-in-law's  presents.  Among  the 
polygamous  Kioutses  the  marriage  rules  are  simpler.  If  the  wife 
does  not  present  her  spouse  with  an  heir  he  does  not  pay  for  her. 

There  are   few   good  looks  and   little   modesty  among  the  families 

262 


Loutsc  Types. 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

or  tribes.  The  inheritance  of  the  sire  is  shared  amongst  the 
sons,  and  a  father  can  disinherit  a  refractory  son.  In  dress  the 
men  follow  the  Thibetan  fashion.  The  women  are  attired  in  two 
garments — one  fitted  to  the  figure,  the  other  looped  from  under 
the  left  arm  to  the  riyht  shoulder.  Sometimes  thev  have  a  white 
fillet  like  the  Lissous,  their  hair  either  loosely  gathered  into  a 
net,  or  shaved,  leaving  a  toupet  in  front.  Two  ladies  we  observed 
with  rectangular  green  tattooing  on  the  nose  and  cheeks ;  they 
were  heiresses.  Nearly  all  the  females  carried  a  small  distaff, 
with  which  they  spun  hemp  unceasingly.  Assassination  is  not 
reerarded  as  a  heinous  crime,  but  blood  monev  is  sometimes  ex- 
acted.  The  dead  are  buried  with  the  usual  symbols  of  the  de- 
funct's occupation  on  the  grave.  They  believe  the  deceased 
go  to  a  beautiful  land  if  they  have  done  good,  and  if  not  that 
they  rejoin  the  bad  spirits.  The  Kioutses  have  their  witch- 
doctors, and  sacrifices  for  the  sick  ;  but  diseases  are  rare,  and 
centenarians  not  uncommon.  Venereal  complaints  are  unknown. 
When  a  malady  declares  itself,  a  fowl  or  a  pig  is  vowed 
to  the  evil  spirit.  In  the  house  where  we  slept  a  sorcerer 
was  engaged  in  exorcising  such  a  one  from  a  sick  woman. 
The  rites  resembled  in  the  main  those  we  had  witnessed  on 
a  former  occasion,  save  that  in  this  instance  some  little  wax 
images  were  employed,  which  were  anointed  with  tsampa  and 
water,  and  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  big  tree  outside  that  was  supposed 
to  have  had  an  ill  influence  on  the  patient.  The  physician  went 
through  a  variety  of  incantations  and  facial  contortions,  and  finally 
touched  the  sick  woman's  head  with  a  peacock's  feather.  But  he 
smiled  at  me  the  while. 

At    Meuradon   we   found   one   of  our   men   whom   we   had   sent 

before  us  from    Tsekou.      He   had   been   as   far  as   the   Lamaserai 

263 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

of  Tchamoutong  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Salwen,  and  pronounced 
the  Lamas  well  disposed  towards  us ;  but  added  that  the  mules 
could  not  pass  beyond  that  point,  and  that  we  should  be  obli<red 
to  go  two  days  farther  down  the  river  to  find  a  practicable  route 
to  the  west. 

At  Tionra,  where  we  were  only  five  hours'  march  from  the 
Salwen,  we  were  glad  of  a  day's  halt  in  the  regained  warmth  of 
the  sun.  The  Loutses  here  were  mild-mannered  and  hospitable, 
but  wretched  and  dirty  in  the  extreme.  Their  physical  attributes 
were,  well  developed  but  receding  foreheads,  the  countenance 
larger  than  the  Thibetans,  with  eyes  not  oblique  like  the  Chinese, 
and  the  facial  angle  rather  sharp.  The  women  were  little  round- 
about beings. 

The  2ist  and  22nd  (September)  were  employed  in  the  passage 
of  the  Salwen.  All  our  party  were  in  high  spirits,  and  the  cattle 
rested.  At  the  request  of  the  men,  the  mules  were  given  a  hash 
of  raw  fowls  and  salt,  avowed  by  the  Thibetans  to  be  a  rare 
pick-me-up  for  beasts  of  burden.  We  ferried  over  in  skiffs  about 
16  feet  long,  hollowed  out  ot  trunks  of  trees.  Prom  two  to 
four  men  manoeuvred  them  with  small  oars.  The  crossing  was 
an  easy  matter  compared  with  that  of  the  Mekong  at  Halo  ; 
there  were  no  real  rapids  here,  and  counter-currents  could  be 
taken  advantage  of  The  temperature  of  the  water  was  much 
the  same  as  that  of  the  Mekong  at  the  same  height,  being  60' 
Fahr. ;  but  a  neighbouring  tributary  from  the  mountains  registered 
nearly  6°  higher. 

On  the  right  bank  we  received  a  messenger  from  the  Lamaserai 

of  Tchamoutong,  distant  now  only  a  few  miles,  who  announced  that 

the   superior   had   under    him    seventy-six    Lamas    ("  Red    Hats  "), 

that  he  was  afraid  to  come  himself  to  meet  us  in  con.sequence  of 

264 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

an  injunction   from   Tsarong   against  allowing  us   to  enter    Thibet, 

but  he   sent   us   by  two  of  his    Lamas   gifts    of   tchang,    flour,   and 

butter,  as  well  as  other  provisions  for  sale.     These  holy  emissaries 

took    frequent    pinches   of   snuff  from   a    little    horn.      In    return    I 

charged  them  with  chromolithographs  for  their  chief,  and  astonished 

them   by  exhibiting   photographs  of  their  Grand   Lama  at   Lhaca. 

It   was   politic   that  they  should   take   with   them   the  tale  that  the 

French  were  evidently  on  good  terms  with  them  of  Thibet. 

On    the    23rd    and    24th   (September)    we   continued  down  the 

Salwen    by    a    good    road.      As    is    the    case    lower,    the    valley    is 

greener  than  that  of  the   Mekong,   with    t^ora    almost    approaching 

that    of   warm    countries.       The    trees    were    literally    decked    with 

tufts  of  orchids,   whose  jellow  and  brown  spotted  blooms  hung  in 

odoriferous    clusters  :    this    might    appropriately   have    been    named 

the  Orchid  Valley,  a  paradise  for  amateurs.     Creepers  abounded, 

one  in  especial  with  thick  leaves  and  scented  white  waxen  flowers, 

which    1    have   seen    in    conservatories    at    home.       Another  shrub, 

too,     I    noted    for    its    fruit,    like    the    arbutus,    but    containing    a 

delicious  ,  cream.       Djewan    was    our    stage,    and  here  we  gleaned 

a    few    meagre    particulars   about    the    Kiou-kiang.       Mention    was 

also   made  ot  a  larger  and  further  stream  called   the  Nimer.      The 

people   told   us   that   the   son  of  the  chief  of  Ngaihoa,   whom    we 

had   seen   as   we   passed  through  that  district,   had  been  seized  by 

Lissous  while  trafficking  on   the   Kiou-kiang.       He   had  saved   his 

life,  but  lost  his  merchandise.      Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  Djewan 

were    Lissous,    but   pacific — at   least   towards   us.      Our  host  was  a 

Chinese  trader  of  Setchuen.      He  collected  chiefly  drugs,  amongst 

others  a  large  tuber  found  in  the  root  of  rotten  pines  called  fouline, 

which  is  held  in  much  estimation  in  Chinese  pharmacy. 

After   Djewan   we  worked   westward  again,   and   for  two  days 

265 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

reascended  by  the  bed  of  a  small  tributary  of  the  Salwen.  But 
the  higher  we  went  the  worse  grew  the  path,  till  it  was  no  better 
than  a  track  through  sodden  brake  and  over  abrupt  declivities. 
Great  thorny  thistles  with  yellow  heads  choked  the  hollows,  through 
which  the  mules,  even  stripped,  could  hardly  struggle.  The 
unloading  and  loading  went  on  incessantly.  Our  progress  was, 
in  consequence,  almost  nominal,  and  on  the  27th  (September)  came 
to  a  dead  stop.  We  therefore  called  a  halt  to  allow  the  stragglers 
to  close  up.  Here,  in  response  to  our  oit-repeated  inquiries,  two 
Lissous  spoke  of  a  district  on  the  Upper  Kiou-kiang  called 
Dutchu,  where  one  half  of  the  denizens  were  robbers  and  lived 
in  holes,  and  the  other  half  were  timid  and  slept  in  trees. 
Beyond  the  Kiou-kiang  were  three  mountains,  then  a  big  river 
named  Tersa,  where  we  should  find  rice,  and  black  Lamas,  and, 
further,  Chinese  (.'').  Valuable  information,  forsooth!  However, 
the  more  mysterious  this  region  the  more  we  desired  to  find  it. 

In  the  evening  our  scouts  came  in  on  the  main  column,  and 
reported  no  possibility  of  getting  the  mules  any  farther.  We 
held  a  council  of  war,  and  decided  to  push  on  afoot  for  the  ne.xt 
village  with  a  few  carriers,  whom  we  could  send  back  with  food  to 
the  succour  of  the  rest.  In  accordance  with  this  resolution,  on  the 
28th  (September)  we  set  forward,  and  almost  immediately  after- 
wards the  wood  closed  upon  us.  Our  men  had  not  lied.  There 
was  not  so  much  as  a  track.  We  followed  the  general  direction 
indicated  by  broken  twigs.  We  did  not  mount,  we  did  not  descend 
— we  simply  gave  ourselves  over  to  gymnastics.  Clambering  over 
roots,  grappling  with  trees,  now  bestriding  a  huge  trunk,  anon 
crawling  on  all-fours,  foot  by  foot  we  won  our  way.  We  slid,  we 
tumbled,  we  saved  ourselves  by  a  vine,  and,  when  we  found  a  square 

yard  to  stand  upon,    stopped  for  breath.      On  one  such  platform, 

266 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

of  rather  less  precarious  dimensions,  we  made  our  midday  meal. 
Water  was  running"  among  the  boulders  in  a  bed  of  felspar  granite^ 
moss  and  red  orchids  tapestried  the  sheltering  wall  of  rock.  On 
their  arrival  at  the  biaf  tea-kettle,  the  first  care  of  the  Thibetans 
after  dropping  their  packs  was  to  draw  forth  their  bamboo-root 
pipes,  and  in  blue  clouds  of  tobacco  smoke  to  obliterate  their  trials. 
None  can  tell  the  full  enjoyment  of  a  pipe  after  the  hardships  of  a 
march  like  this.  Nam  shared  our  view  as  he  squatted  like  a 
Buddha  ruminant.  I  believe  a  cataclysm  would  not  shake  him  out 
of  a  casuality  greater  even  than  an  American's. 

Naturally,  there  was  no  further  question  about  the  mules.  We 
sent  back  word  to  the  headman  to  forward  all  the  packs  he  could, 
and  to  leave  the  animals  where  they  were  under  a  small  guard. 
For  the  present  it  must  ho.  pedidiis  cum  janilns  for  us,  like  the  great 
Tartarin.  But  this  was  something-  like  exploration.  The  enjoy- 
ment of  the  work  grew  on  me.  And  added  to  it  all  was  the  distant 
pleasure  of  dropping  in  upon  the  English  by  a  road  they  did  not 
know. 

We  had  thought  our  efforts  of  the  morning  laborious  :  they  were 
nothing  to  those  of  the  rest  of  the  day.  Close  following  on  the 
escalade  of  a  crag  by  the  help  of  two  notched  tree  trunks,  there 
succeeded  a  struggle  up  an  almost  perpendicular  rampart  of  damp 
soil,  where,  while  digging  one's  elbows  into  the  surface  and  clutch- 
ing the  tussocks,  a  slip  would  seem  to  have  set  one  rolling  to 
eternity.  I  own  I  did  not  dare  look  back  for  fear  of  giddiness. 
Shortly  before  nightfall  we  bivouacked  on  a  ledge  hard  by  a  patch 
of  snow.  The  altitude  was  10,808  feet,  and  the  temperature  48° 
Fahr.  As  it  was  fine,  and  we  were  dry,  we  all  felt  better  than  at 
the  base  of  the  Garnier   Peak.      This  was   Nam's  first  introduction 

to  snow,  which   his   curiosity  led  him   to   taste,  under  the  assurance 

267 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

from  the  others  that  it  was  sugar.  The  children  of  Annam.  at 
least  the  Tonkinese,  know  only  ice,  which  they  call  in  their  picture- 
language  "stone- water." 

At  daybreak  I  had  from  my  tent  door  a  glorious  sight.  The 
whole  valley  of  the  Sal  wen  lay  stretched  before  me,  a  sea  of  cloud, 
with  here  and  there  a  detached  wreath  of  vapour  floating  feather- 
like above  in  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  great  dividing  range 
betwixt  the  Mekong  and  the  Salwen  upheaved  its  grey  mass  with 
sharp-cut  edges  against  the  sky,  conspicuous  in  which  a  single 
summit  stood  forth  dominant.  Garnier  Peak  was  invisible  from 
here,  but  we  could  distinguish  a  lesser  rock  in  the  chain,  to  which 
we  had  given  the  name  of  the  Dent  de  Djewan.  Little  by  little 
the  mists  rose  like  a  curtain  from  below  and  blotted  out  the  scene, 
which  remained  only  as  a  vision  of  the  dawn. 

A  stiff  climb  still  separated  us  from  the  col,  and  occupied  the 
morning.  Once  on  the  other  side,  the  descent  was  as  rapid  and 
slippery  as  the  seat  of  one's  trousers  could  desire.  We  brought  up 
at  the  village  of  Tamalou,  Tamalo,  Tamalopoula,  or  even  Poulalo  ; 
each  variation  having  been  used  to  designate  to  us  the  group  ot 
seven  hamlets  that  here  dotted  the  banks  of  the  river  Poula, 
affluent  to  the  Salwen.  Henceforward  more  protracted  halts  were 
imperative,  owing  to  the  necessity,  now  that  we  were  on  foot,  of 
providing  supplies  for  some  days  in  advance,  and  extra  followers  to 
carry  them. 

We  had  first  to  re-establish  communication  with  our  mules  ;  for 
which  purpose  twelve  men  were  despatched  to  bring  up  the  remain- 
ing loads,  with  directions  to  send  back  the  animals  under  escort  to 
Tsekou  with  a  few  cases  not  absolutely  indispensable,  consigned  to 
Father   Dubernard.     Great  difficulty  was  experienced   in  enlisting 

additional   porters.      We  had  personally   to  beat  up  the   huts  and 

268 


TSEKOU   TO  KHAMTI 

offer  inducements.      Even  so,  they  would  not  engage  to  cro  beyond 
the   Kiou-kiang. 

While  waiting  here  we  mixed  freely  with  the  people,  whose 
hospitable  reception  of  us  was  in  large  measure  owing  to  the 
excellent  relations  we  had  had  with  the  king  of  Yetche.  They 
were  Loutses,  mostly  dressed  in  white  togas  with  blue  stripes,  and 
epaulettes  like  the  Lamasjens  ;  many  wore  a  cap  of  brown  felt,  and 
all  had  large  white  bead  necklaces.  Each  hamlet  was  merely  a 
collection  of  two  or  three  houses  under  a  headman.  A  tax-eatherer, 
sent  yearly  by  the  Yetche  mokoua,  or  by  the  mandarin  of  Ouisi, 
takes  a  tsien  per  house  in  money  or  kind  ;  otherwise  they  are 
unburdened.  A  few  trophies  of  the  chase,  skulls,  and  horns  of  the 
raguen  and  diasuna  {^iieinorrhcsdus  and  biidorcas)  decorated  the 
interiors,  but  we  saw  few  tools.  The  women  do  what  little  tillacre 
is  necessary  for  bare  sustenance.  One  of  the  chiefs  on  whom  we 
called  had  a  primitive  still  in  which  he  manufactured  a  sort  of  spirit. 
A  funnel  hollowed  out  of  a  tree  was  placed  over  a  cauldron  of  hot 
water  upon  the  fire.  A  wattle  in  the  former  contained  the  maize, 
roasted  and  mixed  with  leaven.  On  top  was  fitted  a  vat  of  cold 
water  constantly  replenished,  which  hermetically  sealed  the  funnel. 
A  bowl  received  the  condensed  vapour,  which  fell  into  the  centre 
by  a  bamboo  tube.  We  tasted  the  liquor,  and  upon  m\-  word  it 
was  not  bad. 

By  the  4th  (October)  we  were  ready  again.  W'e  resumed  our 
route  with  but  vas:ue  instructions  for  our  future  gruidance,  but  under 
better  physical  conditions,  and  passed  the  first  night  beneath  the 
gigantic  branches  of  a  monster  tree  in  shape  like  a  dragon.  The 
ponderous  arms  were  fraught  with  menace,  but  we  consoled  our- 
selves by   reflecting    that    as    they   had    threatened    thus    for  many 

years,   they  would  probably  last  out  our  temporary  stay. 

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FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

The  two  following  days  were  employed  in  surmounting  a  crest 
of  10,725  feet.  From  here  our  new  Loutse  carriers  sent  back  four 
stalwart  wenches,  who  had  helped  their  relatives  with  their  loads  up 
the  ascent.  I  secured  a  garter, — "  honi  soit," — and  found  its 
measurement  to  be   19   inches  below  the  knee. 

Then  more  up  hill  and  down  dale,  damp  underfoot  but  bright 
overhead.  The  thick  bamboo  brake  which  clothed  the  south- 
west sides  of  the  hills  did  its  utmost  to  retard  our  advance.  Not 
content  with  striking  us  in  the  face,  the  canes  lay  low  and 
tripped  us  when  we  stooped,  and  the  mildest  of  our  adversaries 
poured  a  few  drops  of  water  down  our  necks  or  relieved  us  of 
our  head  -  gear.  When  we  exchanged  this  vegetation,  it  was  for 
barer  heights,  among  which  often  gleamed  little  grey -blue  lochs; 
a  scenery  not  unlike  some  parts  of  the  Pyrenees. 

After  a  strenuous  climb  up  a  dry  watercourse,  we  emerged 
upon  the  col.  This  pass  over  the  mountains  has  a  terrible 
reputation  in  snow.  Natives  hurry  over  it  ;  song  and  gunshot 
are  unheard  under  the  great  dread  inspired  by  its  solitude  and 
many  victims.  And  in  truth,  human  skulls  and  shin-bones,  a 
porringer,  a  fragment  of  a  pipe,  bore  dreary  testimony  to  the 
fate  of  unfortunate  wayfarers  overtaken  by  the  cold.  Our  little 
band  pressed  on  in  silence  among  the  sombre  scattered  rocks.  It 
took  several  hours  along  the  ridges  before  we  ensconced  our- 
selves for  the  night  in  the  dry  brushwood  beneath  a  sheltering 
mound. 

Whilst  the  men  were  preparing  the  bivouac,  I  could  not 
resist  the  desire  to  climb  a  neighbouring  eminence,  on  the  brow 
of  which  I  found  myself  the  centre  of  a  vast  jaanorama  of  extra- 
ordinary grandeur. 

The  mist  which  had  wrapped  us  during  the  last  stage  of   our 

270 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

march  was  torn  apart,  and  the  horizon  in  the  west  was  glowing 
clear.  In  the  foreground  below  me  the  land  fell  in  green  terraces, 
dotted  with  dark  stunted  firs,  towards  the  Kiou-kiang.  The  river 
itself  could  be  divined,  though  not  discerned.  North-west,  a  lofty 
range,  erect,  stern,  and  snow-clad,  formed  Nature's  fit,  if  forbidding, 
barrier  to  Thibet.  Away  to  the  west-south-west  opened  a  gap,  an 
ample  valley  fringed  with  lesser  mountains,  above  which  the  zenith 
lay  blue,  flecked  with  white  cloud.  That  was  no  sky  of  China  ; — • 
imagination  caught  afar  a  visionary  glimpse  of  India.  Backward, 
whence  we  had  come,  the  eye  revisited  the  chain  of  separation 
now  searched  by  the  setting  sun,  which  glistened  on  a  recent 
whitening  of  the  crests.  It  leaped  the  whole  interjacent  river 
basin,  and  scanned  their  well-known  features,  to  where,  appearing 
in  a  cleft,  Garnier  Peak  stood  up,  sprinkled  with  fresh  snow,  and 
set  like  a  miniature  in  perspective.  It  wheeled  to  the  left,  and 
rested  in  the  north  upon  a  lonely  rounded  summit,  Pemachou, 
the  legendary  cradle  of  the  Loutse  race.  That  night  we  slept  in 
considerable  contentment  with  the  ideas  conjured  up  by  our  wide 
prospect,  and  recked  little  that  the  thermometer  stood  only  two 
degrees  above  freezing. 

8th  (October). — Following  the  spurs  we  continued  to  descend, 
at  first  among  bamboos,  and  later  in  rhododendrons.  Beneath 
their  spreading  roots  we  passed  more  skeletons,  the  blood  con- 
gealed upon  the  skulls,  with  derelict  bowls  and  strainers.  In  the 
bottom  of  the  valley  we  sighted  the  Kiou-kiang,  running  over  a 
shingle  bed,  blue  as  the  Aar.  Casting  about  for  a  camping  ground 
about  900  feet  above  the  river,  we  came  across  two  little 
thatched  bamboo  huts  on  piles.  The  thresholds  stood  agape, 
the  hearths  deserted.      In  the  abandoned    garden  were  remains  of 

tobacco   culture,   pumpkins,    beans,    and    plantains, — and   beneath  a 

271 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

rough    shelter   lay   two    dead    bodies.      Truly   a    day   of   mortality  : 
we  had  left  skeletons  only  to  find  corpses. 

We  quitted  these  undesirable  companions  for  a  spot  half  an  hour 
lower  down,  where  lodging  was  obtained  in  the  wattled  bamboo 
dwelling  of  the  son  of  the  chief  of  the  district,  which  was  called 
Toulong.  Here,  as  at  Tamalou,  we  encountered  further  delays  in 
procuring  supplies  and  carriers.  At  our  first  approach  the  alarmed 
inhabitants  began  to  hide  their  food  in  the  mountains.  Luckily, 
they  were  of  a  gentle,  timid  race,  Kioutses,  so  named  from  the 
Kiou-kiang,  though  they  styled  themselves  Tourong  or  Toulong, 
and  the  river  Toulong-remai.  In  speech  and  appearance  they 
differed  but  little  from  the  Loutses,  save  that  in  frame  they 
were  rather  more  robust.  The  men  mostly  had  a  twig  or 
thorn  in  the  ear  as  ornament  ;  the  women  sometimes  a  large 
silver  ear-ring.  The  latter  also  were  tattooed  in  green  round 
the  mouth.  Formerly  they  used  to  be  unmolested,  but  the  Loutses 
made  war  on  them,  and  it  was  then  that  they  lived  for  precaution 
in  holes  under  the  trees.  By  degrees,  when  they  found  we  gave 
them  presents  of  blue  atoutzi  yarn  (here  held  in  high  estimation) 
and  cotton,  and  paid  well,  they  became  tamer ;  and  again  we 
traced  our  indebtedness  to  an  emissary  of  the  Yetche  mokoua. 
The  collector  of  revenue  (called  in  Lissou,  nerba)  had  received 
instructions  from  his  superior  in  our  favour,  and  in  him  we  found 
a  valuable  auxiliary.  As  if  as  a  further  aid  there  also  arrived 
at  this  period  from  Tamalou  a  Chinese  itinerant  trader,  who  had 
been  instrumental  in  helping  us  when  there.  These  two  together 
used  all  their  influence  on  our  behalf.  Still,  our  patience  was  never 
more  tried  :  the  natives  could  not  be  brought  to  understand  the 
need  of  diligence.  The  longer  our  large  troop  remained  stationary 
the    more  it  exhausted   the  available    supplies  on   the  spot.     The 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

nerba  at  last  issued  a  nioukd  (in  Loutse,  a  cliiteun\  or  requisition 
message,  which  was  forwarded  to  a  chief  lower  down.  A  second 
moukd  was  required  for  a  new  cord  bridge  by  which  to  cross  the 
Kiou-kiang.  This  was  made  with  ease  and  dexterity.  There  was 
no  lack  of  bamboos,  and  of  them  a  twisted  cable  was  fashioned  by 
one  man  in  one  day.  I  could  not  but  admire  the  address  with 
which  a  broad  river  is  thus  spanned.  With  all  our  vaunted  science 
we  could  not  have  beaten  this  in  old  Europe. 

On  the  13th  (October)  baggage  was  triced  up,  beds  folded, 
tents  struck,  and  our  men  began  to  emit  sounds  of  rejoicing  and 
departure  from  bamboo  tubes.  But  where  were  the  local  carriers  .■* 
Two  reluctantly  approached.  And  now  appeared  on  the  scene 
a  new  bore,  in  the  person  of  a  Chinese  delegate  from  the  mandarin 
at  Ouisi.  This  dignitary  was  a  man  of  immense  self-importance. 
Fresh  palavers  ensued.  Tlie  Celestial,  after  a  long-winded  speech, 
would  strut  out  of  the  apartment  in  seeming  dudgeon.  Negotiations 
were  apparently  broken  off  The  next  minute  he  was  back  again 
in  the  doorway,  and  the  whole  farce  was  acted  anew.  Then 
the  nerba,  who  had  promised  to  set  us  a  short  distance  on  our 
way,  suddenly  developed  intense  official  preoccupation  ;  and  the 
carriers  refused  to  go  beyond  two  stages  instead  of  six.  And, 
after  all,  we  found  the  reason  of  this  unexpected  change  of  manner 
was  that  one  of  our  men  had  got  into  a  scrape  with  a  village  belle. 
An  indemnity  was  graciously  accepted  by  the  latter,  and  we  actually 
made  a  move  as  far  as  the  river-side.  Here  we  passed  a  night 
of  vigil  from  the  myriad  mosquitoes.  Tlie  mere  lighting  of  a 
match  caused  a  cloud  to  settle  on  our  laces.  At  2  a.m.  I  could 
stand  it  no  longer,   and  patrolled  the  camp  till  dawn. 

We  were  early  astir,  thankful  to  be  off  The  nerba  was 
there,  shouldering  a  mighty  cross-bow,  the  Chinese  sutler,  and 
s  273 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


the  fresh  bearers,  each  with  his  wallet  stocked  with  houann-niai, 
a  rock  jjlant  remedial  in  dysentery,  of  which  we  forthwith  pur- 
chased a  supply.  Altogether  the  column  numbered  nearly  three- 
score men.  The  river  at  this  point  was  about  50  yards  broad, 
with  traces  of  a  rise  of  40  feet  in  flood.  The  transference  of 
ourselves  and  chattels  was  accomplished  without  hitch  ;  we  even 
stopped  to  take  a  photograph   in   mid-air. 


Ill',  1  liiilU""*^  iiiiiil  1 1 1 

Bamboo  Bndijc  o\er  Torrent,   \allc)   of  the   kiou-ki.ing. 

On  the  15th  (October)  we  kept  down  the  right  bank  of  the 
Kiou-kiang,  and  the  vegetation  had  changed.  We  were  now 
among  large  creepers  bearing  tempting  red  berries  unfit  to  eat, 
shrubs  with  a  rosy  blossom  not  unlike  the  hortensia,  only  scented, 
fig-trees,    plantains,    elegant    palms,    and,    in    damp    spots,    clumps 

of  fern  6  feet  high.      The    river    was    low,    and    ran    in    a    bed    of 

274 


TSEKOU   TO   KHAMTI 

orranite,  quartz,  and  micaschist.  The  natives  who  came  in  with 
food  were  well  formed,  though  diminutive,  almost  naked,  and 
wholly  dirtv,  but  withal  of  a  not  altogether  unprepossessing 
type,  having  large  eyes,  small  heads,  hair  less  coarse  than  the 
Chinese  and  tending  to  brown,  and  their  lower  faces  rendered 
more  shapely  from  slightly  prominent  cheek  -  bones.  Most  of 
them  carried  a  sword  in  a  big  sheath  across  the  chest.  Both 
men  and  women  smoked  a  powdered  green  tobacco.  W'e  paid 
them   partly  in   mone\-,   but  chiefly  in  yarn. 

The  path  by  which  we  reached  Deidoum  on  the  i6th 
(October)  was  frightful.  It  was  blocked  by  enormous  rock 
masses,  which  had  to  be  scaled,  in  some  instances,  by  the  help 
of  notched  tree  trunks  and  trailers,  but  more  frequentK"  without, 
and  having  a  20-feet  drop  on  the  other  side.  Even  the  dogs 
had  to  be  carried  in  places.  Twice  across  a  torrent  b\-  a  liana 
bridge,  holdinfr  to  the  hand  of  the  man  in  front.  But  no  sooner 
over  than  the  clambering  began  again.  The  agility  of  the  men 
was  wonderful  ;  no  projection  was  too  slight  for  a  step,  no 
indentation  too  shallow  for  a  toe.  Their  bare  feet  gave  them 
an  advantage.  And  yet  this  route  is  not  held  to  be  a  bad  one 
by  the  natives.  They  admitted  that  there  was  one,  going  west- 
ward from  Toulong  into  the  mountains,  that  was  dangerous.  I 
wonder  what  it  may  be  like.  What  we  were  traversing  is  the 
high  road  from  China  to  India  —  the  subject  of  so  many  English 
dreams,  and  the  ideal  line  of  Captain  Blackstone.  For  the 
present,  I  rather  imagine  it  has  small  chance  of  becoming  an 
artery  of  commerce. 

The  denizens  of  Deidoum  were  very  shy.  At  flrst  they 
inspected  us  from  afar,  climbing  the  trees  and  peeping  at  us 
through  the    branches.       The    least    suspicious    movement    on    our 

275 


FROM  TONKIN    TO   INDIA 

part,  and  they  vanished  like  a  Might  of  sparrows.  Little  by  little 
they  gained  confidence,  but  great  persuasion  was  required  to 
induce  a  few  to  act  as  carriers. 

From  a  hill,  on  the  17th  (October),  we  opened  out  the  moun- 
tains formerly  descried  from  the  pass  above  the  Kiou-kiang. 
Dense  woods  grew  right  up  to  the  base  of  their  crowning  bas- 
tions, which  were  precipitous,  though  often  flat-topped.  They 
were  named  the   Moutentekie  rocks. 

This  valley  of  the  Kiou-kiang,  which  we  had  now  been 
threading  for  several  days,  with  many  more  to  follow,  gave  an 
impression  of  greater  size  than  that  of  the  Mekong,  since, 
although  narrow  at  the  bottom,  it  was  bounded  by  mountains 
of  receding  gradients,  each  with  its  own  forest  species,  from 
palms  below  to  ilex  and  rhododendrons  above.  It  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  scenery  of  the  Upper  Irawadi  to  find  these 
clear  rapid  waters,  like  Swiss  torrents,  fretting  their  course 
through  tropical  vegetation.  The  region  is  little  inhabited,  and 
dwellings,  whether  single  or  in  small  groups,  are  invariably 
about  the  middle  zone  of  altitude.  Culture  is  evident  only  in 
occasional  narrow  strips  of  buckwheat,  millet,  or  maize,  and 
thir-n  merely  in  sufficient  quantities  to  supply  the  most  meagre 
necessity. 

On  the  1 8th  (October)  we  reached  the  foot  of  a  waterfall, 
sighted  on  the  previous  day,  which  fell  from  a  height  of  200 
feet  on  to  a  smooth  rock.  With  its  flashing  drops  and  iridescent 
spray  amid  the  green  foliage,  it  was  like  a  diamond  pendant  in 
its  casket.  A  side  torrent  had  to  be  crossed,  with  no  more 
bridge  than  a  couple  of  slippery  bamboos.  Most  of  us  crawled 
gin^t:rly  over  unencumbered.  But  two  of  our  men  rashly  ven- 
tun  d  on  it  at  once.      I   heard   the   rotten   saplings   crack,   and   was 

276 


■Ddwn   with  a  crash  into  lli-  I'oamiiii;  Water. 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

in  time  to  see  the  sticks  go  down  with  a  crash  into  the  foaming 
water.  However,  we  saved  our  half-drowned  comrades  farther 
down.  What  with  swarms  of  virulent  mosquitoes  to  harass  our 
rest  at  night,  and  the  severe  toil  undergone  by  day,  we  were 
having  a  fairly  hard  time  of  it.  Luckily  the  weather  at  this 
stage  was  beautiful,  just  like  spring  in  France.  Our  chief 
disquietude  was  on  the  score  of  food  ;  and  now  we  had  to 
share  some  of  our  scanty  stock  with  departing  relays  of  Kioutse 
bearers,  who  by  the  terms  of  agreement  should  have  victualled 
themselves. 

I  do  not  know  but  that  we  reached  the  acme  of  cumulative 
obstruction  at  this  period.  Up  to  the  present  we  had  over- 
come many  a  spell  of  choice  obstacles.  They  had  not  exhausted 
the  vagaries  of  nature.  Indeed  they  might  be  looked  upon 
rather  as  the  occasional  rockets  of  the  entertainment,  and  this 
as  the  fciL  d'ai'tijices.  Jigged  points,  slippery  surface,  crumbling- 
brinks,  creepers  that  tripped,  worm  -  eaten  trunks  up  which  to 
swarm,  almost  vertical  ladders  to  climb,  formed  of  wooden  pickets 
driven  into  the  face  of  overhanging  bluffs,  often  hauled  by  sheer 
strength  of  a  couple  of  men  and  liana  drag-ropes  over  boulders. 
We  struggled  on  because  we  had  to,  and  sat  down  abruptly  on 
the  other  side,  to  marvel  how  the  deuce  we  got  there.  Let 
any  who  want  good  training  for  calf  and  biceps  come  here.  A 
mile  or  two  in  a  day  was  sometimes  all  we  could  do,  and  at  this 
rate   we   began   to  despair  of  seeing   India  in    1896. 

Camped  on  the  19th  (October)  beside  a  curious  rock.  It 
was  of  granite,  and  20  feet  high.  Outside  it  looked  very 
ordinary,  but,  on  descending  to  its  base,  an  aperture  was  dis- 
covered leading  into  a  circular  chamber,  pierced  with  two  windows 

like    eyes.       One    could    imagine    oneself    inside    a  colossal  head 

279 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

like  that  of  "Freedom  lighting  the  World"  in  New  York. 
Evidently  this  cavity  had  been  caused  by  the  river  at  high 
water,  an  inverse  phenomenon  to  that  of  the  "  Marmites  des 
Grants  "  in   Switzerland. 

Wild  as  our  life  was,  we  had  grown  accustomed  to  it,  and 
were  a  united  band  in  t)ur  daily  adventures.  At  daybreak  our 
men  rose  in  their  tchaupas  like  loose  dressing-gowns,  stretched 
themselves,  had  a  wash,  and  lit  the  fire  ;  during  all  which  opera- 
tions the  Christians  repeated  their  prayers,  which  sometimes  lasted 
well  on  into  the  day's  march.  Tea  was  brewed,  and  some 
maize  or  millet  partaken  of  The  troop  was  divided  into  several 
messes.  In  No.  i  was  Anio,  chief  of  the  porters  and  com- 
missary-general, a  man  of  rare  thews,  indefatigable  energy,  and 
self-sacrifice.  Then  there  were  Petalon,  the  wag  of  the  party, 
who  kept  everyone  alive  with  his  jests  and  grimaces  ;  and 
Loureti,  his  younger  brother,  too  slight  for  this  sort  of  journey. 
With  them  were  also  Jose  the  faithful,  a  cross  between  Mosso 
and  Thibetan,  a  grand  fellow  and  my  especial  bodyguard,  who 
carried  my  camera  and  gun,  and  looked  after  me  like  a  mother ; 
and  Goumbo  ("divine  grace"),  the  Adonis  of  the  band,  quite  a 
painter's  model  with  his  large  soft  black  eyes,  but  very  reserved. 
Mess  No.  2  contained  three  mighty  brothers,  plucky  but  generally 
keeping  aloof  from  the  rest,  though  one  was  much  attached 
to  Roux  ;  and  another  interesting  type  of  a  Thibetan,  a  Herculean 
monster,  whose  matted  hair,  flat  nose,  and  open  mouth  gave  him 
quite  the  ferocious  aspect  of  the  conventional  ogre  ready  to 
crunch  raw  fowls.  All  the  above  were  Christians.  Among  the 
pagans,  too,  we  had  good  stuff  men  displaying  equal  attachment 
to   us.       There   was   Oumbo,    son-in-law  of  the    Tsedjrong  bess^, 

who     undertook    voluntarily     the     hardest    tasks    with     unimpaired 

280 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

vivacity,  notwithstanding  his  ill  looks,  corrugated  brow,  and  pro- 
jecting jaw.  And  we  owed  as  much  to  Seran-Seli  ("eternal 
life")  as  to  anyone  in  the  company — the  man  to  unravel  a 
knot  if  ever  there  was  one,  who  spoke  Lissou  and  even  a  little 
Kioutse,  and  having  been  in  the  Kiou-kiang  valley  before  in 
search  of  gold,  had  experience  of  the  inhabitants.  His  description 
of  the  gold-washing  (on  a  left-bank  tributary  of  the  Kiou-kiang) 
showed  it  to  be  but  rough.  The  large  stones  were  turned  over 
and  the  silt  sifted  for  grains  of  the  precious  metal.  Occasionally 
a  nugget  as  large  as  a  haricot  bean  was  found.  The  gravel 
and  slush  were  then  strained  on  wooden  shutters  and  the  gold 
remained.  A  man  may  collect  sometimes  a  tael  weight  ( i  ;l  oz. 
adp.)  in  a  week.  Both  here  and  on  the  Loutse-kiang  the 
search  is   unrestricted  ;    on  the   Mekono-  it  is  taxed. 

After  chota  pipes  were  lighted.  The  manufacture  of  these 
bamboo  pipes  was  a  great  distraction  during  our  enforced  delays, 
and  we  had  become  adepts  in  the  art.  Then  tents  were  struck, 
the  modest  kitchen  range  stowed  with  excessive  caution  by  old 
Nam,  and  loads  assumed.  Anio  apportioned  the  labour,  and 
we  never  heard  a  complaint ;  on  the  contrary,  the  sick  or  tired 
were  often  relieved  by  their  comrades.  Once  under  way,  each 
man  went  his  own  gait.  The  van  on  reaching  a  plateau  got  a 
welcome  rest  while  awaitino;  the  rearg-uard.  At  the  close  of  the 
da)',  after  the  Thibetans  had  lent  a  voluntary  hand  to  our 
Annamites  in  strewing  our  leaf  mattresses,  came  the  best  hour 
in  the  twenty-four :  we  sat  round  the  hres,  wrote  up  our  log, 
drank  tea,  smoked  and  chatted  with  the  men.  Most  of  them 
spoke  or  understood  a  little  Chinese,  and  by  aid  of  signs  or  a 
pat    on     the     back    and    a    pinch    of    tobacco    we    established    an 

excellent  good-fellowship. 

281 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


In  the  course  of  these  chats  we  were  puzzled  by  accounts 
given  by  the  Kioutses.  According  to  them,  we  were  to  find 
within  a  few  days  a  larc^e  river,  the  Neydu  (Lissou,  "big 
water"),  to  follow  it  up  seven  marches,  cross  a  high  mountain, 
and  then  arrive  at  a  wide  plain  which  was  called  Apon,  where 
the   villages  were   frequent,    the    houses    circular,    and    the    people 


Midday  Halt. 

dressed  in  trousers  and  vests  like  ourselves,  only  with  black 
teeth  and  wearing  turbans.  To  us  poor  weary  rock-climbers  the 
word  plain  spelt  paradise,  and  Apon  became  the  constant  theme 
of  speculation  and  debate. 

As    far    as    our    investigations    upon    the     fauna    of    the    Kiou- 

kiang  went,    the   results  were    largely   negative.       We    heard   that 

282 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

tigers,  though  sometimes  seen,  are  rare ;  neither  wolves  nor  deer 
are  met  with  ;  and  the  wild  ox  (by  which  was  probably  meant 
the  biidorcas)  is  tawny  or  black.  The  wild  ass  {jiemorrhccdtis), 
black  and  white  roebuck,  dark-haired  goats  with  horns  like  the 
markhor  of  Kashmir,  were  not  mentioned.  There  are  black 
bears,  and  foxes  of  three  colours  of  the  Thibetan  species ;  and 
monkeys  and  large  bats  are  numerous  in   the  forests. 

The  following  is    the    translation  given   me  by   Joseph  of   the 
names  of  the  several  more  important  rivers  we  had  seen  :■ — 


Lang- 

-tsotig 

-kiang 

at  makes  waves 

swift 

river 

Lou- 

-kiang 

Wrath 

river 

Kiou- 

-kiang 

That  zigzags 

river 

Toii-ron^ 

or 

Ton-long 

That 

h 

as 

stones. 

I  tried  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the  Kioutse  type  of  physiog- 
nomy. The  line  from  the  lacrymal  duct  to  the  nostril,  almost 
straight  in  many  people,  is  with  them  very  sloping ;  they  have 
thick  lips,  short  chins,  and  triangular  face.  The  space  between 
the  eyes  is  wide,  and  general  cast  of  countenance  not  displeasing. 
The  visage  seems  small,  from  the  pent-house  thatch  of  hair  over- 
hanging it.  Chests  big,  and  thighs  largely  developed  from  hill- 
climbing. 

A  long  march  on  the  23rd  (October)  brought  us  to  the 
scattered  hill  village  of  Tukiu  -  mu.  On  the  way,  near  the 
river,  I  had  noticed  a  species  of  date  and  excellent  figs ;  I  also- 
picked    up    some    large   brown    seeds    in  a  pod    similar  to   what    I 


283 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

had  seen  in  Madagascar.  Just  outside  the  village  we  passed 
a  tomb  stuck  with  stones  and  bamboo  tubes,  which  hatl  probably 
originally  held  food  for  the  deceased.  A  post  on  which  was 
the  skull  of  an  ox,  and  five  perches  surmounted  by  wooden 
birds  roughly  carved  to  represent  hovering,  were  sufficient  to 
scare  most  evil  spirits.  It  was  some  time  since  we  had  met 
with  these  attentions  to  the  dead. 

While  at  Tukiu-mu,  where  we  all  shared  one  roof,  the  rains 
once  more  descended,  and  we  might  have  supposed  ourselves 
shut  up  in  a  house-boat.  The  people  of  the  district  were  so 
destitute,  of  food  as  well  as  raiment,  that  we  again  found  our- 
selves checked  for  three  days,  and  in  straits  for  provisions. 
The  annoyance  was  that  we  had  no  hold  on  the  natives :  they 
had  only  to  disperse  into  the  recesses  of  the  hills  or  to  hide 
their  grain  to  have  us  at  their  mercy.  Even  supposing  we 
could  have  laid  violent  hands  on  their  property,  we  should 
have  alienated  the  very  levies  on  whom  we  relied  to  carry  it. 
Having  an  aversion  to  rain,  they  would  only  come  in  singly 
or  by  couples  under  cover  of  large  shells  made  of  tree  bark, 
bringing  a  few  tongs  (Thibetan  measure)  of  rice,  the  husking" 
of  which  in  one  little  wooden  mortar  occupied  another  day  in 
this  heaven  -  forsaken  place.  We  paid  for  everything  (which 
was  little) — in  trinkets,  prints,  and  yarn.  But  our  most  .seductive 
wares  failed  to  extort  any  but  the  scantiest  pittance  of  tobacco. 
It  was  amusing  to  witness  poor  Nam's  dejection,  and  the  care 
with  which  he  dried  at  the  fire  a  sintjle  leaf  he  had  somewhere 
acquired,  fondling  it  like  an  old  savant  over  the  rarest  object 
in  his  collection. 

It  was  the    same    story.      The  inhabitants  raised  just   sufficient 

for    bare    existence,    and    having    no    money    had    no    desires.       I 

284 


TSEKOU   TO  KHAMTI 

conceded  their  grounds,  but  resented  the  consequence.  Neces- 
sity has  no  law :  here,  as  at  home,  hunger  is  hunger.  Our 
pHght  proclaimed  the  socialist  theory  to  us  more  clearly  than 
the  loudest  speech,  even  to  the  excuse  of  robbery  with  want  for 
cause.  The  Haves  defend  themselves  from  the  Have  Nots ; 
and  justly.  But  when  the  former  condemn  the  latter  without 
remission  in  the  name  of  high-sounding  principles,  they  have 
not  put  themselves  in  the  others'  place.  We  were  now  in  the 
position  of  the  indigent ;    and,   reflecting,  became  indulgent. 

As  the  result  of  a  council  held  in  the  preceding  evening  with 
Anio  and  Joseph,  we  set  forward  again  on  the  27th  (October). 
From  Tukiu-mu  to  the  big  river  was  reported  four  days'  march. 
We  had  food  for  two.  Our  design  was  to  go  on  short  rations,  and 
to  send  Seran-Seli  with  two  men  on  ahead  to  try  and  procure 
supplies  to  meet  us.  In  the  midst  of  our  perplexities  we  had  the 
satisfaction  to  detect  no  sign  of  discontent  among  our  followers 
proper.  They  simply  asked  if  we  were  going  much  farther,  with  a 
view  to  avoiding  this  route  on  their  way  back  to  Tsekou  ;  to  which 
I  gladly  replied  by  a  promise  to  send  them  home  by  Ava  in  Burmah. 
and  Tali,  and  they  were  satisfied. 

Our  departure  was  slow.  At  the  last  moment  most  of  the 
local  carriers  vanished.  It  was  no  time  for  compliments,  so  we 
promptly  collared  some  Kioutses  who  were  innocently  looking 
on,  and  started  with  nine  pressed  hands.  After  a  few  hours' 
marching  in  a  steady  downpour  through  dripping  woods,  we  came 
to  the  confluence  of  the  Kiou-kiang  with  a  stream  on  the  right 
bank,  the  Du-tchu-mu.  This  river  rolled  a  strong  head  of  water 
tumultuously  over  shingle  bars,  and  its  black  tide  was  furrowed 
with  ribands  of  foam  for  a  considerable  distance  before  minelino- 
with    the    other.        Here    we     found     Seran-Seli,     unable     to     pro- 

285 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

•ceed.  Hardly  above  the  swirl  three  ratans  swuno^  loose  from 
a  post  on  either  bank,  but  not  tautened  for  a  rope  bridge. 
The  river  was  in  flood.  The  pebbles  on  the  margin  were 
covered  with  big  black  wood  -  bugs,  seeking  safety  from  the 
swollen  current  ;  we  crushed  them  as  we  sprang  from  stone  to 
stone,  and  they  emitted  a  fetid  odour.  But  the  Kioutses  stooped 
to  gather  and  devour  them.  While  cnmchlng  these  tasty  bon-bons, 
they  further  encouraged  us  by  explaining  that  the  l)u-tchu-mu  was 
usually  crossed  by  a  tin)-  raft,  which,  under  existing  conditions, 
-was  out  of  the  question. 

"What  is  to  be  done,  then?"  we  asked.  "When  the  waters 
are  out,"   replied  the\-,   "we  stay  at  home." 

A  Thibetan,  one  of  the  three  brothers,  volunteered  to  make 
the  attempt  by  the  slack-rope,  for  which  service  of  danger  we 
offered  a  reward.  The  night  now  falling,  the  venture  was  deferred 
till  daylight,   and  we  camped  where  we  were. 

Not   long    after,    1     noticed    the    men    retiring    higher    into    the 

woods  to  sleep.      Looking  out  of  the  tent,   I    perceived    the   water 

rising  rapidly   round  us  :  it  was  high   time  to  beat  a  retreat,   if  we 

did    not    wish    to    wake    up    in    the    river.        In    the    darkness    and 

confusion  of  rushing  streams,   it  was  no  easy  matter  to  clutch  our 

belongings  and  make  a  hasty  escape  on  all-fours  up  the  channeled 

bank.      The  camp  was  in  dismay.      W^e  found   Nam  among  his  pots, 

swearing    and   wailing    by   turns.      "Master  Doctor!    Master    Sire! 

Annamite   no   way   make    dinner, — no    China   way!"   (by    "China" 

he  included  all  that  was  neither  Annamite   nor  French).       "  Don't 

cry,    Nam,    we'll    do    without  ; "    we     consoled     him     like    a    child. 

Finally,   we  gained  the  shelter  of  a  big  rock,   and   there,   with   the 

help  of  the  men's  tent  and  a  fire,  while  the  rain  kept  up  a  deluge 

without,   we  passed   the   remainder  of  the   night  huddled   together 

286 


TSEKOU   TO  KHAMTI 

as  best  we  could.  I  counted  twenty-nine  beings  within  the  limits 
of  that  tent — Frenchmen,  Chinese,  Annamites,  Thibetans,  Lissous, 
and  Kioutses.  The  men  maintained  an  excellent  demeanour,  but 
beneath  our  jokes  we  all  had  the  serious  reflection  that  if  the 
waters  still  increased,   or  we  failed  to  cross,   the   alternative  would 


Beside  Ihe   I)u-lclni-mu. 

be  that  of  abiding  in  a  district  that  could  barely  provide  us  with 

two  days'  sustenance. 

But  with  dawn  on  the  2Sth  (October)  came  unexpected  relief. 

As    if   by    enchantment    the   inundation    had    receded,    the    shingle 

bank  on   which   we   had    been  marooned  was  free,  the   Du-tchu-mu 

was  only  a  sullen  torrent  growling  between  its  almost  normal  banks  ; 

the  very  bugs  were  gone. 

287 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

I  imagine  this  phenomenon  of  flood  overnight  followed  by- 
abatement  in  the  morning,  which  we  more  than  once  experienced, 
is  to  be  attributed  to  diurnal  melting  of  the  snows  at  the 
source. 

Our  first  care  was  to  repair  the  connection  with  the  far  side  ; 
and  a  Kioutse  having  contrived  to  cross,  our  men  were  not  long 
in  following.  The  ratan  was  old  and  frayed,  but  by  putting- 
a  clod  of  turf  upon  the  traveller  the  friction  was  lessened,  and 
all  passed  in  safety,  if  not  in  comfort,  over  the  minished  stream. 
The  heavier  of  the  party,  myself  included,  had  to  present  our 
backs  to  the  current,  and  did  not  escape  a  ducking.  After  the 
troubles  of  the  preceding  night,  fortune  seemed  determined  to 
make  amends,  and,  when  we  called  halt  at  the  close  of  the  day 
at  "  Safety  Camp,"  further  disclosed  to  us  a  little  cache  of  four 
good-sized  baskets  of  maize  and  rice.  It  was  curious  to  note 
the  respect  of  the  Kioutses  for  personal  property  :  this  harvest 
of  provision  for  winter  was  left  in  perfect  trust  out  in  the  country, 
far  from  dwellings,  and  merely  covered  with  leaves.  From  it 
we  were  enabled  to  purchase  a  small  replenishment  of  our 
stock. 

The  29th  (October)  was  therefore  a  day  of  restored  hilarity. 
Not  that  much  improvement  of  the  route  was  observable  ;  the 
customary  acrobatic  performance  had  to  be  got  through,  with  for 
one  of  the  Thibetans  an  incidental  fall  from  a  20-feet  rock  ;  but 
we  managed  to  dry  everything  by  the  margin  of  the  Kiou-kiang, 
which  here  was  a  broad  sheet  of  water,  swift  but  noiseless,  and 
wonderfully  clear. 

The  men  enjoyed  themselves  " after  hours"  by  stone-throwing, 
in  which  the  Thibetans  excel,  and  by  a  swimming  exhibition  by 
P^talon    the    buffoon    and     Fa    the    younger.     The    Kioutses,    as 

288 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

undressed  as  usual,  squatted  on  a  rock  apart,  beneath  a  great 
tree,  whose  branches  swept  the  stream  and  up-bore  a  hanging 
garden  of  ferns,  orchids,  and  woodbine  clinging  by  long  lianas 
to  the  forest  behind.  This  forest  assumed  more  and  more  the 
character  of  warm  regions ;  the  bamboos  were  enormous,  tree- 
ferns  30  feet  high,  and  above  the  pale  green  stars  with  which  the 
plantains  studded  the  hills  palms  with  their  metallic  sheen  rose 
rigid  and  erect.  But  from  the  dense  mass  of  humid  vegetation 
issued  an  army  of  leeches  ;  they  dropped  from  the  bushes,  they 
crawled  upon  the  ground,  and  fastened  on  the  calves  of  the  men. 
Even  we  in  our  boots  were  not  spared.  Although  their  puncture 
was  not  painful,  it  often  caused  a  wound  to  spread  round  the 
place. 

On  the  30th  (October)  we  reached  at  nightfall  another  con- 
fluence of  two  torrents.  One  was  the  Dublu,  the  other  was 
the  Neydu  or  Telo — the  great  river  of  which  we  had  heard 
so  much,  its  silent  tide  and  tranquil  depth!  "  Voces  non  c/aniant,'* 
as  the  poetic  Joseph  rendered  it. 

It  was  a  wretched  disappointment.  Instead  of  level  fields, 
hills  and  impenetrable  forest  as  before ;  instead  of  houses,  crags 
as  savage  as  any  in  the  valley  of  the  Kiou-kiang.  We  did  not 
feel  in  the  least  moved  to  join  in  the  songs  of  our  men. 
Nevertheless,  the  lengthy  stage  of  the  day  had  gained  us  ground, 
and  here  the  proverb  "  Time  is  money  "  was  fast  becoming  "  Time 
is  life." 

We  had  attained  one  of  the  principal  feeders  of  the    Irawadi. 

Like   the    Kiou-kiang,    it    did   not   come   from    far,    but    it   brought 

a    considerable    body    of   water,    and    it    is    the    great    number    of 

these    large    tributaries    that    accounts    for    a   river    of   the    size    of 

the  Irawadi  in   Burmah. 

T  289 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

We  were  shaken  out  of  sleep  on  the  31st  (October)  by  an 
appalling  crash.  One  of  our  men  thinking  to  make  a  speedy 
and  unusually  safe  bridge,  had  felled  an  immense  tree  on  the 
opposite  side,  which  came  near  to  crushing  the  whole  encamp- 
ment in  its  fall.  Much  more  effectual  was  the  work  of  the 
Kioutses  :  planting  bamboos  two  by  two  X-wise  in  the  river- 
bed, and  hanging  on  to  the  farthest  by  their  toes,  in  a  very 
short  time  they  had  a  line  of  trestles  across  and  a  light 
causeway  laid.  The  skill  of  these  savages  was  marvellous  ;  I 
question  if  civilised  engineers  with  the  same  lack  of  imple- 
ments would  in  two  hours  have  thrown  a  bridge  o\'er  a  torrent 
at  least  32  yards  wide.  The  Dublu  crossed,  we  proceeded  up 
the  left  bank  of  the  big  river. 

Thanks  to  the  exertions  of  our  forerunner  Seran-Sell,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  here  met  us  with  some  food,  for  which 
barter  was  the  only  form  of  purchase.  Anio  proved  himself 
irresistible  in  the  role  of  pedlar,  would  tap  the  vendors  on  the 
shoulder,  make  them  laugh,  and  descant  on  the  beauty  of  the 
coveted  trinkets.  It  was  the  women  who  showed  the  greatest 
avariciousness.  They  seemed  more  independent  than  in  most 
parts  of  Thibet,  and  on  an  equal  footing  with  their  husbands. 
Most  of  them  were  small  and  ugly,  though  the  tattooing  else- 
where prevalent  was  represented  only  by  a  blue  mark  on  the 
lower  lip.  We  took  advantage  of  the  general  satisfaction  to  beg 
a  fill  for  our  pipes.  I  could  not  helj^  laughing  at  being  reduced 
to  mendicancy  from  savages,  with  a  fair  prospect  of  sinking  to 
yet  lower  straits. 

On  the  1st  (November)  the  offer  of  my  spoon  secured  us 
the  services  of  a  competent  guide,  under  whose  direction  we  at 
once    transferred    ourselves   to   the   other  (right)  side    of   the  river 

290 


TSEKOU   TO   KHAMTI 

on  rudely  improvised  bamboo  rafts ;  the  water  was  quiet,  deep, 
and  of  a  grey-blue  colour.  Our  passage  disturbed  a  number  of 
otters  on  the  brink,  who  dived  before  we  could  o-et  a  shot  at 
them.  For  the  two  succeeding  days  we  climbed  a  steep  and 
rugged  track,  catching  sight  through  openings  in  the  woods  of 
an  amphitheatre  of  snow-covered  mountains.  In  the  west  a 
high  white  range  running  north-east  and  south-west  was 
identified  by  us  as  the  alps  of  Dzayul,  on  the  other  side  of 
which  lies  the  basin  of  the  Upper  Brahmaputra  in  Thibet.  From 
our  camp  at  the  close  of  3rd  November  nothing  could  be  seen 
on  all  sides  but  mountains  and  valleys. 

The  4th  (November)  furnished  us  with  novelty  in  the 
manner  of  routes  in  this  part  of  the  world.  Most  of  our  old 
feats  were  duly  called  into  play,  but  with  the  addition  of  being 
e.xercised  in  the  actual  torrent.  We  had  camped  overnight  on 
its  edge,  and  at  starting  crossed  and  recrossed  it  half  a  dozen 
times  :  ultimately  we  settled  down  to  ascend  it  without 
divergence.  It  was  the  simplest  plan.  All  the  same,  it  was 
as  painful  as  anything  we  had  done.  Our  own  men  with  their 
loads  struggled  bravely  against  the  current,  which  was  suffi- 
ciently heavy  to  require  a  strong  stake  to  steady  each  step. 
The  naked  natives  found  the  waterway  admirably  suited  to 
their  agility.  Being  barefooted,  both  had  some  advantage 
over  us  in  our  boots  amoncr  the  rollin'^>'  stones.  Stumbling, 
slipping,  plunging,  our  ears  ceaselessly  deafened  by  the  relent- 
less roar  of  the  descending  water,  we  staggered  blindly  forward 
all  day  with  barked  shins  and  broken  knees  in  the  urgency  to 
make  headway.  For  we  had  only  one  day's  supplies  left.  It 
was    emphatically  a    case    of  gaining    our    bread    by  the   sweat    of 

our    brow.       In  the    evening    the    Kioutses  caught   some   welcome 

291 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

fish  by  an  ingenious  artifice.  A  small  backwater  in  which 
quantities  of  spindrift  had  collected  was  barred,  the  pith  of  a 
plant  was  picked  like  oakum  and  cast  into  the  pool,  and  the 
fish  entangled  in  the  mixture  of  foam  and  fibre  were  taken  by 
hand  and  net.  To  their  own  menu  the  Kioutses  added  a 
mess  of  boiled  fern  leaves.  Our  faithful  fellows  bore  their 
privations  most  unselfishly ;  they  had  already  been  on  half 
rations — two  porringers  of  rice  swollen  with  water  per  man  ;  but 
they  were  only  concerned  to  lessen  my  anxiety,  and  sustained 
the  greatest  appearance  of  cheerfulness.  To  fill  up  the  measure 
of  this  distressing  day,  we  had  to  deplore  the  death  of  "  Diamai." 
For  some  time  the  poor  beast  had  followed  with  difficulty, 
famished  for  lack  of  the  meat  which  we  could  no  longer  procure. 
After  vain  efforts  to  contend  against  the  stream,  which  kept 
sweeping  his  lean  carcass  back,  he  gave  up,  and  lay  down  to 
die  under  a  bush.  I  reproached  myself  for  having  taken  him 
away  from  his  pastures  and  snow.  He  was  the  second  dog  of 
the  breed  which  I  had  lost ;  they  seem  unable  to  exist  far  from 
the  icy  cold  and  rocks  of  the  uplands  of  Thibet. 

5th  (November). — We  had  to  get  somewhere.  We  had  nothing 
left  to  put  between  our  teeth.  So  into  the  torrent  we  stiffly 
lowered    ourselves    aoain     and     bent    to    the    collar.       Rain    from 

o 

above  was  soon  added  to  the  water  below,  and  we  enjoyed  a  double 
bath.  The  stream  was  wider  and  less  swift  than  before,  more 
like  a  water  alley  through  the  midst  of  the  deep  forest,  where 
unbroken  gloom  lent  solemnity  to  the  scene.  After  many 
orrievous  hours  of  toil,  it  was  with  feelings  of  reviving  cheer 
that  we  issued  from  this  oppressive  confinement  to  raft  over  a 
broad  reach,  and  committed  ourselves  to  firmer  ground.  And 
when     at    last   we    extricated    ourselves    from    the  tangled  woods, 

292 


TSEKOU  TO   KHAMTI 


we  hailed  with  joy  once  more  the  sight  of  hill  cultivation  and 
the  straggling  houses  of  the  hamlet  of  Duma,  in  one  of  which 
we  were  not  slow  to  seek  shelter,  and  to  disembarrass  ourselves 
of  the  wet  garments  and  the  leeches  that  adhered  to  our  limbs. 

The    Kioutses  at    Uuma 
seemed   a  finer   set   of   men 
than  those  hitherto  met.      In 
proportion   as   we   advanced 
west   we   found    them    more 
civihsed.       On    the    borders 
of  the  Telo,  instead  of  loin 
cloths    they    wore    drawers ; 
and    here    one    saw    cotton 
stuffs   and   large   straw   hats 
with  a  small  cone  of  the  Bur- 
mese   shape.      The    women 
also  were  no  longer  tattooed. 
The    same     indifference     to 
cleanliness      and      tillage 
marked  their  dwellings  and 
their  fields.     Nor   did    they 
evince  any  apprehension   of 
discord    arising    from    inter- 
course   with    men    of   other 
villages.        Their      e.xtreme 
isolation    probably    makes    for  peace.       They    allowed    themselves 
to  be  freely  interrogated,  and  gave  us  copious  if  indefinite    infor- 
mation as  to  our  route.     They  said  that  about    Apon,' — of  which 

1  We  discovered  that   .\pon  simply  signified   in    Lissou,  Pais  (Thais).     When,  there- 
fore, they  spoke  of  Apon  they  meant  "the  region  inhabited  by  the  Thais." 


A  Kioutse  of  Duma. 


FROM  TOx\KIN  TO  INDIA 

we  had  heard  so  many  incoherent  stories, — we  should  come  to  a 
plain  called  Moam,  which  we  must  traverse,  and  that  we  should  find 
rice-fields  and  elephants.  Our  Thibetans  on  learning  this  testified 
much  interest,  imitating  a  trumpet  with  their  arms  :  they  had  heard 
of  such  beasts  in  their  legends,  but  had  never  seen  one. 

An  old  man  1  conversed  with  declared  the  Kioutses,  Loutses, 
Lissous,  and  Chinese  to  be  sprung  from  the  same  stock. 
This  branch  of  the  Kioutses  at  Duma  styled  themselves 
Reouans.  They  had  been  driven  westward  successively  from 
the  Salwen  and  the  Telo  by  the  Lissous  of  Kioui.  Even  now 
it  was  a  Lissou  delegate  from  the  chief  of  Kioui  who  collected 
the  impost,  one  tsien  per  family ;  thence  it  went  to  the  chief 
of  Ditchi,  who  in  his  turn  passed  it  on  to  the  prefect  of  Likiang. 
Filtering  through  so  many  hands,  I  wonder  how  much  of  it  ever 
reaches  the  latter.  To  my  inquiry  why  they  paid,  they  replied 
that  though  some  families  evaded  the  tax  they  feared  the  power 
of  the  Lissous.  It  was  indicative  of  the  reputation  for  ferocity 
enjoyed  by  the  riparian  Lissous,  that,  already  established  in 
the  east  and  south-east,  it  should  also  be  recognised  so  far  west 
of  the  Salwen  as  this. 

Negotiations  for  food  and  bearers  were  carried  on  more  easily 

here.      Money    by    weight    and   the    rupee  were  known  ;    and  with 

a    wholesome    addition   to   our    diet   of  smoked  fish,   we  were  able 

to  proceed  on  the   7th   (November)   after  a   halt  of    a  single  day. 

We  forded  a  broad  and   shallow  river,   the   Reunnam  ;    and  it  was 

hard     to     believe     ourselves     at     the    base    of   the    lofty   mountain 

chains   of   Thibet ;    the   long    file     of    porters     amid     the     tropical 

plants    heightened    the  impression    that  we    must   be    in  equatorial 

Africa.      The   appearance    of  our   column    as   it  wound  snake-like 

to    the    river's   margin  was   original.     The    Kioutses  led   the  way, 

294 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

cross-bow  or  wooden  lance  in  hand,  with  here  and  there  a  big 
straw  hat.  Fine  men  they  were,  tall  and  with  expressive  faces, 
ingenious,  but  industrious  only  to  the  bare  limit  of  their  need. 
Leading  a  life  of  perfect  freedom,  they  preferred  not  to  engage 
in  traffic  with  other  folk,  which  might  in  the  end  lead  to  a  loss 
of  individuality  and  liberty.  They  reminded  me  of  the  fable 
of  the  wolf  and  the  dog.  The  Kioutses  have  chosen  the  part 
of  the  wolf,   and  are  very  likely  right. 

A  diversified  woodland  march  ended  for  the  day  in  a  real 
village.  Five  houses,  each  90  feet  long,  placed  parallel  to 
one  another,  testified  with  the  barking  of  dogs  and  grunting 
of  pigs  to  an  approach  to  comparative  civilisation.  We  cele- 
brated the  event  in  a  cup  of  rice  wine  with  an  old  greybeard  in 
silver  bangles,  and  repressed  the  grimace  which  the  insipid 
stuff  evoked.  The  two  ensuing  days  afforded  little  of  incident. 
The  marching,  although  somewhat  easier,  tired  the  men  from 
its  monotony,  and  we  had  to  invigorate  them  with  the  incentive 
of  Moam  and  all  its  prospective  joys. 

On  the    loth  (November),  after  being  disturbed    early   by    the 

cries  of  invisible    troops    of   monkeys    that  infested  the  woods,  we 

performed  a  long  and  toilsome  stage,  a  great  part  of  which  was  in 

a  watercourse.      But  at  its  close  we  debouched  upon  a  fine  sandy 

beach,    ideal    camping   ground,    by    the    shores    of    a    considerable 

river,    the     Nam     Tsam.       The     stream    was    40   yards    in   width, 

and  expanded  into  a  small  lake  at  the  foot  of  a  sounding  cataract. 

Here,    deluded    by    a    curious    appearance    on    the    surface    of  the 

water,   we    one  and   all    delivered    ourselves    to    fishing.       Hut    as 

the  fish,   if  fish  they  were,    remained     indifferent    to    baited    lines, 

stone-throw^ing,    or    Sao's    ineffectual    gun,   we  had  to  fall  back  on 

our  usual  supper  of  rice  and  water. 

297 


FROM  TOXKIN  TO   INDIA 

The  next  day,  the  iith  (November),  we  pursued  a  rough  track 
up  the  left  bank  of  the  Nam  Tsam,  again  at  risk  of  neck  and 
hmb,  and  towards  eveninof  arrived  at  a  kiroe  fish-dam.  Tree 
trunks  and  bamboos  were  lashed  together  two  and  two  between 
the  rocks  in  mid -stream,  and  from  this  barrier  depended 
a  valance  of  trellis  embedded  in  pebble  heaps  in  the  water. 
From  the  centre  of  the  weir  a  channel  staked  by  bamboos 
extended  down  stream,  and  at  its  extremity  the  apparatus 
for  catching  the  fish  was  set  at  night.  We  profited  by  the 
bridge  thus  offered  to  cross  the  river,  but  it  took  us  half  an 
hour  to  effect  a  passage  sitting  astride  the  narrow  causeway 
and  working  ourselves  along  by  our  hands.  The  owners  of  the 
dam,  whom  we  found  under  a  leafy  hut  on  the  other  side,  exhibited 
new  traits  ;  their  features  small,  almost  effeminate,  eyes  pro- 
minent, forehead  convex,  mouth  projecting,  and  complexion  olive- 
coloured.  They  wore  a  white  turban  which  half  hid  their  hair- 
knot.  Although  they  called  themselves  Kioutses,  they  showed 
more  affinity  to  the  new  races  we  were  nearing  in  the  iNIoam 
district.  The  material  of  their  vesture,  no  less  than  their  red 
and  blue  leather  wallets  and  copper  pipes,  undoubtedly  came 
from  there.  Their  huts,  too,  were  of  a  novel  shape,  like  cradles 
set  on  end. 

These  fishermen  gave  us  a  good  reception  and  some  directions. 
They  reckoned  the  number  of  days  upon  their  hands ;  four  by  an 
open  hand  with  thumb  shut  to  palm,  five  by  joining  the  finger  tips. 
We  all  excited  their  astonishment  ;  but  Sao  puzzled  them  most, 
because  his  mode  of  coiffure  resembled  their  own. 

Signs  were  not  lacking  now  of  an  approach  to  a  hotter  climate. 

A   tiger  paid  us  a  nocturnal  visit ;  at  another   time  our  march  was 

harassed  by   most  malevolent  wasps  ;    and  one   morning   we   were 

298 


■^^ 


^S' 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

interested  by  a  long  flight  of  white  butterflies  in  line,  which  dipped 
and  hovered  with  marshalled  regularity  on  their  course.  I  thought 
of  the  Burmese  belief  that  they  are  the  souls  of  human  beings  dead 
or  asleep.  If  the  latter,  they  would  be  able  to  take  back  with  them 
a  strange  dream, — of  a  forsaken  country  ;  of  three  Europeans  toiling 
painfully  with  many  falls  along  a  torrent  bed  enclosed  in  dim 
forests ;  at  the  head  of  a  small  band  of  men  clad  in  grey  blouses  to 
their  knees,  with  loads  on  their  backs,  yet  still  from  time  to  time 
breaking  into  song ;  followed  by  a  set  of  half-naked  savages  adorned 
with  large  black  wigs,  some  with  foreheads  pressed  hard  against 
the  strap  that  sustained  the  burden  on  their  necks,  and  others 
moving  free.  Or  would  the  vision  be  to  them  but  that  of  pur- 
gatory,— of  hapless  ones  condemned  to  unrespited  struggles  through 
misery  to  paradise  afar  ? 

Mountain  rice  culture  besan  to  be  visible  in  clearinsfs  of  the 
woods,  and  felled  trees  laid  horizontally  here  and  there  assisted  the 
path  ;  elsewhere,  trunks  left  standing  served  as  miradors  above 
small  granaries  like  bee-hives  upon  posts.  As  we  drew  near  to 
habitations  averting  emblems  reappeared,  and  we  noted  a  fenced 
elliptical  tomb  on  which  were  deposited  an  earthen  vessel,  a  tube, 
and  some  calcined  bones.  The  last  suggested  the  possibility  of 
cremation  among  the  Kioutses  of  this  district.  A  sword  in  its 
sheath  hung  upon  a  post,  but  the  weapon  was  of  wood.  Examining 
the  representation  of  articles  of  which  the  deceased  might  have 
need,  I  called  to  mind  the  graves  of  South  America  and  ancient 
Egypt,  where  are  found  figures  of  slaves  intended  for  the  service  of 
the  departed.  These  taphic  observances  could  not  but  attest  the 
resemblance,  sundered  by  many  thousands  of  miles  and  years, 
between   those    of   the    people    of  the    Pharaohs,   the   Redskins    in 

America,  and  these  savages  of  the  Irawadi. 

301 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Two  days  which  we  passed  at  Pandam  sufficed  to  partially 
revictual  the  column,  but  our  stock  of  salt  was  exhausted,  and  we 
could  by  no  means  replenish  it  nor  find  an  efficient  substitute  in 
the  pepper  or  grated  ginger  of  the  natives.  The  circumstance  led 
to  a  discussion  among  us  as  to  which  was  the  greater  privation, 
want  of  salt  or  tobacco  ;  and  on  a  division  I  was  in  the  minority 


Idiot  Woman. 

in  favour  of  the  latter.  Throughout  our  stay  in  this  village  we 
were  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  inhabitants,  self-styled  Lanouans, 
but  hardly  differing  from  other  Kioutse  branches.  As  ill  luck 
would  have  it,  a  man  was  absent  who  might  have  served  us  as  an 
interpreter  in  the  Moam  plain,  where  they  declared  no  one  com- 
prehended Kioutse. 


TSEKOU  TO  KHAMTI 

From  Pandam,  which  we  left  on  the  15th  (November),  to 
Melekeu  the  route  was  good,  on  easy  gradients,  and  well  cleared 
of  brushwood.  Except  for  a  slight  personal  touch  of  fever,  we  all 
felt  light-heeled  by  contrast  with  our  late  crawl.  Melekeu  was 
composed  of  pile  houses  sometimes  130  feet  long,  not  unlike  the 
Moi  dwellings  in  Annam.  The  families  were  separated  by  bamboo 
partitions,  with  a  passage  of  communication.  Each  compartment 
was  arranged  alike — a  square  hearthstone  in  the  centre,  round 
which  the  inmates  slept  ;  abov^e  it  a  platform  supporting  a  loft,  and 
a  sloping  roof  about  16  feet  high,  which  projected  several  feet  in 
front  over  a  little  terrace,  where  stood  the  pestle  for  husking  rice. 
Round  the  piles  ran  a  trellis  to  keep  in  the  pigs.  Melekeu  was 
set  in  an  attractive  semicircle  of  gently  retiring  hills  partly  covered 
with  yellow  rice  clearings  :  a  few  large  trees,  survivors  of  the 
primeval  forest,  dotted  the  slopes  ;  in  the  distance  the  level  sunshine 
smote  the  line  of  woods  like  the  head  of  a  repulsed  column  in  every 
variety  of  light  and  shade. 

We  already  had  a  foretaste  of  the  Moamites  (to  coin  a  word)  in 
two  copper-coloured  men  who  had  joined  our  party.  There  was  no 
doubt  about  their  personality ;  their  cotton  garments  and  turban  over 
the  hair-knot  bespoke  them  Thais.  They  had  come  from  seeking 
lead  in  the  mountains,  and  had  with  them  some  Kioutses  to  carry  it. 

So  the  plain  of  Moam  is  really  peopled  by  the  Thais,  members 
of  that  numerous  race  which  stretches  from  the  Canton  River  to 
Assam,  while  it  extends  south  to  the  INIalay  Peninsula.  An 
intelligent,  easy-going  folk,  possessing  artistic  tastes  and  a  mature 
caligraphy  which  in  its  diffusion  has  infected  the  greater  part  of 
Indo-China.  The  two  above-mentioned  representatives  observing 
us  making  notes,  took  a  piece  of  charcoal  to  show  that  they  also 
knew  how  to  write. 

303 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

Among  our  informants  was  one  who  said  that  from  Moam  it 
was  a  sixteen  days'  journey  to  Atsara  (the  Thibetan  name  for 
Assam),  where  there  was  a  big  river,  and  on  it  boats  with  houses 
that  went  like  the  wind.  Clearly  there  was  a  road  from  Moam  into 
Assam,  and  we  already  saw  ourselves  navigating  the  Brahmaputra. 

The  allurement  of  all  the  delights  awaiting  us  in  Moam  led  us 
to  set  out  from  M^lekeu  on  the  i6th  (November),  notwithstanding 
that  Briffaud  was  lame  from  a  bamboo  splinter.  Our  gaping  boots, 
scarce  held  together  by  many  a  strip  of  hide,  no  longer  saved  our 
feet.  In  our  impatience  for  a  horizon  we  made  the  best  of  our 
hobbling  speed  towards  the  summit  of  a  col,  in  view  since  the 
preceding  night.  It  was  but  5,200  feet  ;  but  every  step  was  a  slip, 
each  leaf  a  shower-bath,  while  overhead  the  monkeys  greeted  our 
efforts  with  ceaseless  mockery.  There  before  us  it  lay  at  length  ; 
still  far  away,  but  revealed.  A  wide  expanse  of  apparent  inundation 
enveloping  lagoons  of  land  ;  but  what  to  our  eyes  seemed  swamps 
were  no  doubt  paddy-fields.  Upon  its  farther  verge  rose  folded 
hills  to  the  ridgre  of  the  frontier  chain  of  Assam.  What  mattered 
it  to  us  then  that  fresh  snow  powdered  the  distant  crests  ?  The 
plain  for  which   we  longed  lay  between  us  and  them. 

We  pushed  on,  leaving  the  main  body  of  our  carriers  to  follow. 
At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  discerned  the  blue  smoke  of 
a  habitation,  and  presently  became  aware  of  a  noisy  gathering 
under  a  shed.  Chattering,  laughing,  and  gesticulating  all  at  once, 
a  band  of  almost  naked  men,  women,  and  children  were  pressing 
round  a  large  cauldron.  We  had  lighted  upon  a  Kioutse  harvest 
fete  in  propitiation  of  the  mountain  deity,  to  whose  satisfaction,  and 
their  own,  copious  libation  of  rice  wine  was  being  made.  Every- 
one was  merry,  most  were  tipsy.  Old  men  babbled,  women  play- 
fully pushed  each  other,  a  child  harangued  an  aged  individual,  most 

304 


TSEKOU   TO  KHAMTI 

probably  its  great-grandmother;  and  on  all  sides  rose  a  babel  of  songs 
and  jovial  mirth.  Yet  withal  there  was  nothing  brutal  in  this  extra- 
ordinary bacchanalian  orgy  ;  perfect  cordiality  reigned  throughout. 

Imagine  the  effect  on  this  crew  of  the  sudden  apparition  of  eight 
fisfures,  strang-e  of  feature  and  in  divers  garbs,  armed  and  un- 
announced,   dropping  from  the  mountain  into  their  very  midst. 

Their  moment  of  stupefaction  was  a  short  one.  Hospitality 
was  evidently  in  the  ascendant.  Drink  was  offered  to  us,  and  we 
were  given  to  understand  by  signs  that  they  would  accompany  us 
to  the  village.  So,  under  this  novel  escort,  none  too  steady  on 
their  legs,  surrounded  by  a  medley  of  lances,  swords,  and  bamboos, 
and  a  hubbub  of  strange  cries,  we  made  a  triumphal  entry  into  Delou. 

Here  we  were  able  to  buy  rice,  fowls,  and  potatoes  ;  and  after 
passing  a  somewhat  broken  night  owing  to  Sao's  setting  fire  to  the 
bamboo  screen,  and  to  minor  disturbing  visitants,  we  resumed  our 
descent  on  the  i  7th  (November)  at  a  more  deliberate  pace.  Our  next 
camping  ground  happened  to  be  on  the  borders  of  a  tobacco  field. 
The  morning  light  shone  upon  bare  stalks:  our  men  were  the  locusts. 
Finding  this  godsend,  they  had  thanked  Providence  and  fallen  to. 

We  discoursed  with  the  two  men  of  Moam,  previously 
mentioned,  in  tagrs  of  all  the  dialects  at  our  command,  and  learned 
from  them  that  the  country  known  to  the  Kioutses  by  the  name  of 
Moam  was  called  Khamti,  with  a  capital  named  Khamtidon,  and 
they  proposed  to  precede  us  and  announce  our  coming  to  the  king. 

We  conjectured  that  these  two  Thais  were  deputies  of  the  chiet 
of  Khamti,  and  that  the  supremacy  of  the  latter  embraced  the 
Kioutses  of  this  district,  since  they  were  at  free  quarters  in  the 
villages  which  they  entered,  and  requisitioned  carriers  with  the 
tone  of  authority.  The  lead  which  the)^  were  convoying  was  in 
small  pigs  like  those  sold  at  Luang-Prabang,  and  similar,  both 
u  305 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

in  shape  and  size,  to  wliat  are  still  found  in  the  mines  of  Laurium, 
the  product  of  bygone  Greek  industry ; — another  strange  instance 
of  conformity  between  an  ancient  people  of  advanced  civilisation 
and  a  savage  one  of  to-day. 

On  the  1 8th  (November)  we  stepped  out  freely  along  a  shady, 
sloping  path,  in  which  the  hoof  marks  of  buffalo  became 
increasingly  frequent,  and  just  as  day  was  declining  emerged  all 
at  once  upon  a  rolling  sward  of  close-cropped  grass.  With  cries 
of  astonishment,  "  Allais !  Allais !  "  our  men  broke  away,  and 
raced  each  other  with  their  loads  towards  the  camping  ground. 

The  cause  of  their  boyish  glee, — what  they  imprisoned  in  the 
deep  and  narrow  gorges  of  the  Kiou-kiang  had  never  in  their 
lives  beheld, — what  we  ourselves  had  well-nigh  forgotten  for  five 
months  in  those  pent-up  valleys, — was — the  level  plain  ! 


I'assing  the  Torrent  of  the  Kiou-kiang. 


;o6 


CHAPTER    VIII 

KHAMTI    TO    INDIA 

Enter  the  Plain  of  Khamti — Blackmailing  at  Tsaukan — Passage  of  the  Nam-Kiou — 
Khamti  (Padao) — Interviews  with  the  King's  Son  ;  with  the  King — English  Influence 
— Account  of  the  Khamti  Thais — Pagodas — Panlian — Carrier  Difficulties — Departure 
-Again  in  the  Mountains— Vexatious  Delays — Desertion  of  Porters — Critical 
Position — Fever — Three  Columns— Roux  falls  in  Rear — Pass  to  India — Death  of 
an  old  Christian — Short  Commons — Two  more  Men  left  behind — We  abandon 
Tent  and  Baggage — Hunger — First  Village — Mishmis — Revictualling  the  Stragglers 
— Singphos^The  Way  Lost — Plain  of  Assam— Bishi  ;  Good  Treatment — Details 
concerning  Village — Roux  Rejoins — Easy  Progress — Elephants — Reception  by  a 
Singpho  Chief — The  Brahmaputra — Sadiya — Cordial  Welcome  from  the  English 
Agent — Position  at  Sadiya  ;  Native  Population — Tea  Plantations — Method  of  Work 
— En  route  for  Calcutta — Descent  of  the  Brahmaputra — Historical  Reflections  on 
India  ;  Dupleix. 

After  a  bath  in  the  river  we  stretched  ourselves  on  the  grass  in 
the  open,  and  watched  a  magnificent  sunset.  It  was  good  thus  to 
lie  beneath  the  wide  arc  of  heaven  after  being  so  long  restricted 
in  our  surroundincrs. 

Whilst  preparing  for  our  evening  meal,  our  ears  were  saluted 
in  the  distance  by  a  prolonged  note,  which,  as  it  rose  and  fell  in 
its  approach,  was  presently  distinguished  as  proceeding  from  a 
melancholy  gong.  A  small  band  of  about  fourteen  Pais  then 
came  in  sight,  winding  in  Indian  file  towards  our  camp.  At 
their  head  we  recognised  one  of  the  deputies  who  had  given 
us  their  company  on  the  road.  When  opposite  to  us  they 
stopped,   gravely    saluted    in    a    quasi-military    fashion,    pronounced 

307 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

the  word    "  Salaam,"  and  squatted.      Two  of  them  carried    muzzle- 
loaders. 

As  we  had  no  clue  to  their  intentions,  it  gave  us  satisfaction  to 
observe  the  quiet  promptness  with  which  our  men  carried  out 
our  instructions,  given  previous  to  entering  the  Pai  country.  The 
packs  were  withdrawn,  the  tent  closed,  and  our  people  grouped  in 
rear.  A  quaint  scene  ensued.  We  three  seated  at  a  table  behind 
a  guttering  candle,  facing  this  solemn  deputation,  proceeded  to 
conduct  a  colloquy,  of  which,  I  imagine,  not  a  sixth  part  reached 
either  party  in  intelligible  form, — from  us  to  Joseph,  Joseph  to 
.Seran-Seli,  Seran-Seli  to  a  Kioutse  with  a  few  words  of  Lissou, 
the  latter  to  a  Pai  with  fewer  of  Kioutse,  and  from  this  last  to  the 
expectant  group.  Out  of  this  chain  of  evidence  we  gathered  that 
the  chief  of  Khamti  had  received  a  letter  from  the  south  with 
threats  of  war.  Had  we  any  connection  with  this  missive  ?  The 
Pai,  who  constituted  himself  spokesman,  addressed  his  remarks  in 
so  loud  a  tone  that  Joseph  took  exception,  and  concluded  that  he 
lied.  In  return,  we  assured  them  we  were  peaceably  inclined,  and 
anxious  to  expound  our  views  at  greater  length  to  their  great 
chiefs  ;  after  which  they  took  their  departure  as  they  had  come,  to 
the  lessening  vibrations  of  the  gong. 

Next    day   (19th   November)   we    had    not    gone   far  before   we 

perceived    a    thatched    village,     from    which     issued    a    number    of 

inhabitants,    who    motioned    us    to    stop.      They   had   with   them   a 

bamboo  tube  enclosing  two  rolls  of  paper,  one  of  which   contained 

some   writing  in    Pai  or   Burmese  characters,  signed  in   English  as 

far  as  could  be    deciphered:   '"  Eniile  .   .   .   Art  .   .   .,"  with  a  seal 

below  it,    "  Seal  of  the   Court   of  the  Depiit  .   .   .  Bha  .   .   .   "  ;  the 

rest    was    effaced.      This  letter  found   here  was  curious,   but   it  did 

not  concern  us,  as  we  endeavoured  to  convey  to  the  people.      A  few 

308 


KHA.MTI   TO   INDIA 

steps  farther,  and  again  we  were  stopped.  Through  the  same 
medium  as  before,  some  notables  intimated  that  we  must  make 
a  present  to  the  village.  This  procedure  did  not  commend  itself  to 
us  as  at  all  a  desirable  precedent  to  establish.  On  the  other  hand, 
to  use  force  when  we  did  not  know  our  way,  had  a  river  to  cross, 
and  with  the  ever- recurring  difficulty  of  food,  to  say  nothing  ot  the 
presence  in  our  column  of  local  porters  on  whom  we  could  not  rely, 
seemed  an  unwise  alternative.  Their  tone  now  became  more 
menacing  ;  it  was  a  custom,  they  said,  that  other  Europeans,  none 
of  whom  had  come  from  the  East,  had  observed,  and  unless  we 
conformed  to  it  we  could  not  pass.  In  this  dilemma  we  offered 
them  five  rupees.  They  indignantly  refused,  and  laid  our  modest 
ransom  at  a  hundred  rupees.  This  was  too  much  ;  we  made  a 
signal  to  our  men  to  fall  in,  and  began  to  get  out  our  guns,  with 
obvious  other  intent  than  as  gifts.  Upon  this  they  held  a  further 
conference  with  some  pretended  chief  in  the  village,  and  ended  by 
accepting"  ten  rupees.  Such  was  our  first  contact  with  the  folk  ol 
Moam — a  set  of  rapacious  blackmailers,  to  whom  nothing  but 
prudential  considerations  for  the  success  of  our  journey  allowed  us 
to  yield. 

The  females  in  the  crowd  here  were  so  far  feminine,  and 
unlike  those  of  the  Kioutses,  as  to  recall  to  us  that  heaven  created 
woman  for  a  companion  to  man.  They  were  tall,  wearing  a  dark 
blue  skirt,  a  light  open  jacket  of  the  same  colour,  and  a  white 
girdle.  Their  hair  was  in  a  knot,  and  drawn  into  a  glossy  black 
coil,  on  the  left  side  of  which  several  fastened  coquettish  glass 
spangles  that  glittered  in  the  sun.  Most  had  rings  in  their  ears, 
sometimes  of  amber.  I  saw  a  child  here,  playing  with  a  wooden 
top,  just  as  at  home. 

We  passed  through   the  village,  Tsaukan,    and  at    once    found 

309 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

ourselves  on  the  borders  of  the  river.  This  was  the  Nam-Kiou, 
or  Meli-remai  of  the  Kioutses,  the  western  branch  of  the  Irawadi. 
It  was  about  i6o  yards  in  width  and  12  feet  deep  ;  water  clear  and 
sluggish.  We  crossed  without  delay  in  five  or  six  pirogues,  and 
saw  grounds  for  the  arrogance  of  the  natives  in  the  ease  with 
which  they  could  have  prevented  our  passage.  A  series  of  streams 
succeeded    at    close     intervals :    the    rejrion     seemed    a    veritable 


On  the  Xam-Kio 


cullender  for  Indo-China.  Some  we  forded,  others  we  passed 
in  dug-outs.  Their  gliding  currents  mingled  or  diverged 
without  visible  cause  in  this  flat  delta-like  country  ;  in  marked 
contrast  to  the  riotous  torrents  we  had  so  lately  left.  They 
cannot  come  from  far,  as  the  chain  of  the  Dzayul  Mountains 
running    south-west    bounds    them    to    the    north    of   the    plain    of 

Moam. 

.^10 


KHAiMTI   TO   INDIA 

As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  stretched  rice-fields,  yellow  as 
the  plains  of  Lombardy.  A  splendid  territory,  fertile  in  soil  and 
abundant  in  water,  where  tropical  and  temperate  culture  flourish 
side  by  side,  and  the  inhabitants  are  protected  on  three  fronts  by 
mountains.  That  they  were  fairly  opulent  was  to  be  assumed 
from  the  silver  bracelets  of  the  children  and  the  small  Indian 
coins  used  as  buttons.  Indeed,  nothing  would  appear  to  be  lack- 
ing to  the  happiness  of  the  people  of  Khamti.  Only  beware, 
you  light-hearted  folk,  you  are  perilously  close  to  the  British 
leopard.  His  appetite  is  enormous  :  sooner  or  later,  be  it  from 
the  mountains  of  Assam,  or  from  the  South,  he  will  place  his 
paw  upon  you  and  bring  you  under  his  "dominion."  There  is 
no  escape  for  you,  ruler  ot  Khamti !  King  Theebaw's  lot  awaits 
you  unless  you  humbly  give  in  jour  allegiance  to  the  Empire  of 
India.  If  you  do  this,  you  may  perhaps  retain  your  title,  pleasures, 
and  a  shadow  of  authority  ;  you  will  receive  presents  and  become 
as  one  of  the  hired  servants  ;  but, — dare  to  lift  your  head,  and 
you  will  be  smashed  like  a  vase  of  which  the  pieces  are  thrown 
away  and   never  spoken  of  again. 

We  approached  the  capital,  which,  save  for  slightly  larger 
dimensions  and  a  higher  stockade,  was  not  distinguishable  from 
other  villages.  They  led  us  direct  to  a  small  pavilion  outside, 
like  a  music  kiosk,  clean  and  well  built.  Four  columns  sup- 
ported a  demi-cone-shaped  roof  ot  rice-straw  thatch.  Round  the 
cornice  were  panels  painted  on  a  white  ground  to  represent 
seated  Buddhas  with  a  flame  upon  their  heads,  cars  drawn  b}'  red 
horses,  and  devadas  dancing.  These  were  like  what  one  had  met 
with  at  Laos,  onlv  rougher.  Without  the  fence  that  surrounded 
this  building  long  bannerols  fluttered  from  bamboo  poles.  For 
ourselves  we  could  have  preferred   better  board  and   worse  lodg- 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

ing,  as  the  inhabitants  only  replied  to  our  hungry  pantomime  by 
signs  that  we  should  wait. 

At  the  end  of  some  time  three  personages  presented  them- 
selves. The  central  one  was  indicated  as  the  chief.  He  was  a 
man  of  some  stature  and  an  intelligent  face,  wearing  a  white 
turban,  flannel  trousers  in  coloured  stripes  like  a  clown,  a  small 
rose  silk  vest,  and  an  old  patched  pair  of  European  shoes.  His 
confederate  had  a  white  vest  like  the  Laos,  and  a  shrewd  quick 
eye  that  recalled  certain  Siamese  types.  Until  our  interpreting 
links  were  all  collected  we  sat  staring  at  each  other  like  china 
dogs.  Then  the  story  of  the  threatening  letter  from  Bhamo  was 
repeated  to  us,  and  we  were  asked  to  explain  our  movements. 
This  we  did  as  well  as  we  could  by  means  of  a  map,  and  with  assur- 
ances that  we  had  not  been  in  Burmah.  Already  the  talk  began 
to  turn  upon  presents  ;  so  as  our  translators  were  now  tired 
we  postponed  any  further  discussion  till  the  morrow.  On 
leaving,  these  officials  graciously  gave  instructions  that  provisions 
should  be  sold  to  us.  We  quickly  realised  that  prices  were 
to  run  high :  two  rupees  for  ne.xt  to  nothing ;  and  I  saw  a 
man  refuse  a  quarter  rupee  for  a  bit  of  dead  wood  for  Nam's 
fire. 

The  early  mist  lifted  next  morning  and  disclosed  to  us  the 
white  summits  of  the  Dzayul  Mountains.  We  despatched  the 
gifts  we  had  prepared  by  the  hands  of  Joseph  and  Sao  ;  but  they 
returned  without  effecting  their  purpose,  and  with  the  information 
that  the  gentleman  we  had  seen  on  the  previous  day  was  only 
the  kine's  son  :  the  kino-,  his  father,  would  not  rise  before  mid- 
day.  Throughout  the  forenoon  a  peeping  crowd  pressed  round 
our  fence,  and  we  felt  rather  like  the  exhibits  in  the  Jardin 
d'Acclimatation,  to  whom  visitors  poke  cigarettes  and  small  coins  ; 

312 


KHAMTI   TO  INDIA 

only  with  this  difference,  here  our  patrons  seemed  much  more 
inclined  to  take  than  give. 

Yesterday's  magnates  having  returned,  we  displayed  our  pre- 
sents. They  regarded  them  without  moving  an  eyelid,  and  did 
not  offer  to  touch  them.  We  were  given  to  understand  that 
donations  were  expected  by  the  king  (who  desired  a  repeating 
rifle),  by  the  king's  son,  and  lastly  by  the  people.  This  was 
Tsaukan  over  again.  Much  as  one  liked  being  agreeable  to 
chiefs  who  were  asfreeable  in  their  turn,  it  was  a  trifle  irritatincj 
to  have  one's  benefactions  dictated  to  one.  However,  we  dis- 
sembled our  feelings.  The  minister,  somewhat  humanised  by  our 
promises,  told  us  he  had  been  several  times  to  Calcutta  and 
Mandalay,   and  vouchsafed  some  information  regarding  the  route. 

In  the  afternoon  we — and  our  gifts — were  conducted  through 
the  capital  to  be  presented  at  court. 

The  outskirts  of  the  town  were  occupied  by  fenced  rect- 
angular gardens,  in  which  chiefly  women  were  hoeing  ;  the  soil 
looked  extremely  rich  and  well  tended.  Between  them  and  the 
village  were  rows  of  small  bamboo  rice  granaries  on  piles  about 
3  feet  from  the  ground.  Passing  them  we  came  to  the 
enceinte,  which  consisted  of  a  stockade  made  of  wattled  bamboos 
12  feet  high,  supported  on  the  inner  face  by  an  embankment. 
This  palisade  was  armed  at  one-third  and  again  at  two-thirds 
of  its  height  by  projecting  sharpened  stakes  like  chevatix  de  /rises. 
It  was  pierced  by  narrow  entrances  closed  by  a  gate  formed  in 
most  cases  of  a  single  solid  baulk  of  timber. 

Once  inside,  tlie  detached  houses  did  not  admit  of  streets ; 
but  in  all  directions  ran  narrow  plank  causeways  a  toot  or  so 
from  the  earth,  necessary  in  the  rains.  The  roofs  were  thatched 
and   sloping,    with   a  conical  excrescence  at  either  end,  and   in  the 

315 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

centre  a  small  wable  like  a  bonnet,  that  allowed  light  to  enter 
and  smoke  to  escape.  At  one  extremity  of  the  building  was  an 
open  platform  under  the  eaves,  which  admitted  more  light  hori- 
zontally. Each  dwelling  ran  from  80  to  130  feet  in  length,  and 
was  erected  on  piles  which  formed  commodious  pens  underneath 
for  the  live  stock.  The  whole  village  was  arranged  on  a  system 
of  parallels.  From  one  point  of  view,  with  screens  hiding  the 
foundation  posts,  the  place  seemed  a  conglomeration  of  circular 
huts  or  big  molehills  as  one  sees  in  Africa.  With  their  thiitch 
they  gave  me  the  illusion  at  a  distance  of  some  herd  of  hairy 
mammoths,  arrested  in  their  course  by  a  sudden  paralysis  of 
nature. 

The  palace  dominated  the  rest  of  the  village,  and  was  sur- 
rounded by  small  gardens  within  a  paling.  Save  in  point  of 
size,  it  was  very  similar  to  the  other  domiciles,  but  had  a  second 
roof  with  two  dragons  carved  in  wood  at  the  corners.  We  were 
ushered  into  a  spacious  hall  beside  the  terrace.  Tall  wooden 
columns  27  feet  high  ran  up  to  the  roof,  and  the  chamber  was 
shut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  house  by  a  bamboo  partition,  on 
which  were  hung  black  Hindu  bucklers  studded  with  gold,  and 
some  lances.  The  beams  were  decorated  with  figures  of  tigers 
and  monkeys  painted  red,  and  on  the  lower  parts  of  the  pillars 
were  fastened  horns  of  animals  draped  with  strips  of  calico  of 
bright  hues.  In  rear  of  this  fringe  stood  the  royal  throne.  It 
was  made  of  a  long  chest,  on  the  front  panel  of  which  was 
depicted  a  cavalcade  of  gods  or  warriors  mounted  on  strange 
beasts,  evidently  of  Hindu  design.  On  either  side  of  its  base 
twin  serpents  reared  their  heads  slightly  in  advance  of  a  grotesque 
squatting  wooden  effigy,  in  whose  hands  were  a  sword  and  a  lance. 

Behind,  a  trophy  of  tiint-  and  match-locks  was  arranged. 

316 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

Upon  the  throne  a  little  wrinkled  beardless  old  man  was 
seated.  He  had  on  a  white  vest  and  a  "  langouti  "  (species 
of  kilt)  of  mauve  silk ;  a  pillow  and  tobacco  jar  were  beside 
him,  and  a  spittoon  and  a  long  pipe  at  his  feet.  Before 
him  were  planted  two  gilded  umbrellas.  The  whole  was  the 
monarch. 

We  were  invited  to  seat  ourselves  on  the  floor  in  front  of  his 
majesty,  with  his  majesty's  son  upon  our  right,  and  a  group  of 
five  or  six  old  men  who  had  the  air  of  councillors  or  notables  of 
the  place.  The  rest  of  the  hall  was  filled  with  an  audience  of 
attendants  and  general  rabble,  in  the  backo^round  of  which 
appeared  the  top-knots  of  several  women,  while  some  of  our 
Thibetans  gazed  on  the  scene  with  open-mouthed  wonder.  Apart 
from  the  pomp  of  the  reception,  I  was  struck  with  the  familiarity 
of  the  people,  who  chatted  with  the  members  of  the  royal  party 
quite  unconcernedly.  It  was  not  so  in  the  Laos  States.  The 
king's  son  addressed  his  sire  in  a  long  speech,  in  which  we  sup- 
posed he  was  declaring  who  we  were  and  whence  we  came.  The 
presents  were  then  deposited  in  a  tray  before  the  throne.  The 
king  rejoined  by  putting  a  few  short  questions  to  us  directly 
Who  had  shown  us  the  way  ?  Did  we  come  of  our  own  will,  or 
were  we  sent  by  anyone  ?  At  Tonkin,  how  were  the  children  ? 
the  old  men  ?  Were  the  people  rich  ?  F'inally,  he  asked  by  what 
route  we   desired  to   reach  Assam. 

The  travelled  minister  had  already  taken  our  names  as  a 
souvenir.  The  wary  Joseph  for  his  own  part  gave  an  alias, 
alleging  that  he  had  found  it  a  wise  precaution  when  dealing 
with   a   mandarin. 

In  the  conversation,  as  was  natural.  Tonkin  took  chief  place. 
We  did  endeavour  to  explain  that  France  was  at  a  greater  distance  ; 

3^7 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

but  not  being  engaged  to  give  a  history  or  geography  lecture  to 
the  people  of  Khamti,  and  as  we  were  chiefly  concerned  to  gain 
their  furtherance  for  our  departure,  we  refrained  from  puzzling 
their  Oriental  brains.  In  the  end  the  general  impression  left  was, 
I  fancy,  that  M.  Carnot  and  some  generals  in  a  picture  I  showed 
were  the  principal  men  in  Tonkin,  and  Napoleon  in.,  whose  head 
was  on  the  louis  d'or  I  distributed,  was  its  great  chief  A  sign 
of  dismissal  being  given,  we  withdrew  with  much  pleasure.  We 
had  had  about  enough  of  social  amenities  for  one  day. 

Under  the  palace  we  observed  some  men  at  work  forging 
sword-blades ;  the  fire  was  in  a  sunk  trench,  and  for  bellows  a 
man  seated  on  a  trestle  worked  two  pistons  in  bamboo  tubes 
pump-wise.  We  had  fondly  hoped  for  some  amelioration  of  our 
diet  on  comine  to  Moam.  So  far  we  had  not  succeeded.  When 
we  asked  for  victuals  they  replied  by  telling  us  to  slay  here  three 
days  longer,  and  not  to  bother  about  porters — an  invitation  cap- 
able of  more  than  one  interpretation.  As  we  returned  to  our 
camp  we  met  an  elephant  which  belonged  to  the  king.  Our 
men  were  highly  amused  at  their  first  meeting  with  such  an 
animal.  It  came  from  Assam.  Ikit  notwithstanding  this  and 
other  surprises,  they  were  quite  ready  to  quit  Khamti,  where 
their  reception  had  not  equalled  expectation.  Seran-Seli  de- 
livered himself  of  his  astonishment  that  the  king,  who  reminded 
him  of  an  old  monkey,  should  have  been  perched  on  a  seat  while 
we  were  on  the  floor ;  and  as  for  Nam.  he  regarded  all  the  in- 
habitants as  pigs. 

We  turned  our  enforced  delay  to  account  by  visiting  the  suburbs 
and  studying  the  population.  There  was  a  pagoda  in  a  grove  near 
the  village,  wherein  was  placed  a  row  of  gilded  Buddhas  with 
conical   head-dress,   and  some  smaller    ones   of   marble,   painted   or 

-,i8 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

gilded  as  in  India.  Flags  bearing  Buddhist  subjects  and  Thai' 
inscriptions  hung  from  the  ceiling,  but  we  saw  nothing  unusual, 
artistic,  or  finely  sculptured  as  in  Laos.  Some  tablets  of  black 
wood  served  as  boards,  which  were  written  on  with  a  white 
substance  obtained  from  the  bamboo,  and  the  bonze  showed  me 
a  letter  of  recommendation  from  an  Englishman,  Mr.  Gray,  in 
case  the  priest  should  wish  to  go  to   India. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  following  our  audience  we  received 
another  visit  from  the  king's  son  and  his  adviser.  This  time 
they  smiled  upon  us,  and  brought  some  tubes  of  bamboo  filled 
with  molasses.  The  minister  became  sufficiently  confidential  to 
produce  the  subjoined  paper  for  our  inspection.  It  was  in  English, 
and  ran   thus  : — 

"This  is  a  certificate  that  Hoe  Daung,  nephew  of  the  Lak- 
houm  Saubroa  of  Pamkouti  Khamti,  came  to  Bhamo  to  pav 
homage  and  respect  in  February  '92.  He  was  accompanied  by 
the  Amdogyi  of  Lakhoum,  named  Baraugnan,  as  representing  the 
Lakhoum  Saubroa.  The  Amdogyi  and  Hoe  Daung  were  at 
Mandalay  and  Rangoon.  Xo  promises  were  made  them,  save 
that  with  regard  to  the  claim  set  forth  by  Sankpakhou,  the  Lak- 
houm Saubroa,  to  be  chief  Saubroa  of  Khamti/  such  claim 
should  be  the  subject  of  inquiry  and  further  consideration.  By 
this  prompt  visit,  bearing  the  homage  and  presents  of  the  Saubroa, 
his  nephew  (in  the  place  of  the  said  Saubroa)  has  recognised 
the  supremacy  of  the  Government,  and  has  expressed  his  desire 
to  be  a  loyal  subject,  and  this  will  be  taken  into  account  in  future 
dealings   with   him.      His    ierri/ory   now  forms  part  of  the  district 

'  This  is  ambiguous  :  the   claim  has  been  made   in   the   course  of  a  past  visit  .  .  . 
query:  an  inquiry  will  be  made  in  the  course  of  our  visit  (future)?— AUTHOR. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

controlled  by  the    Deputv-Commissioncr   of  Bliamo.   and    he    has    a 
right  to  the  protection  and  consideration  of  the  Government. 

"  E.   C.  S.  George, 
"  Deputy-Commissioner. 
"Camp  Mogau.m,  13///  March  1892." 

This  document  confirmed  our  conjectures  on  first  reaching  the 
plain.  The  chief  of  Khamti,  finding  most  hkely  his  power  shaken 
by  competitors,  or  for  some  other  good  reason,  had  found  it 
advisable  to  address  his  submission  to  England.  He  had  sent 
ambassadors  to  the  Indian  Government,  and  it  was  probably 
following  on  this  embassage  that  Mr.  Gray  was  despatched  to 
explore  and  thoroughly  investigate  the  country. 

Here  we  have  the  inveterate  method  pursued  by  England  :  an 
advance  as  sure  as  it  is  deliberate,  and  with  no  retrograde.  The 
rule  of  Britain  spreads  like  a  drop  of  oil  by  a  sort  of  inexorable 
law  of  nature  and  decree  of  destiny.  Assam  is  one  instance, 
absorbed  fifty  years  ago  ;  Upper  Burmah  is  another,  annexed 
within  the  last  ten.  To-day  these  countries  are  conterminous ; 
and,  united  under  the  English  flag,  are  boring  little  by  little  up  to 
the  very  springs  of  the  Irawadi.  To  the  right  of  Khamti  they 
are  stopped  by  the  ranges  of  Thibet.  They  will  not  go  farther 
to  the  north-east,  for  two  reasons, — the  precipitous  height  of  the 
mountains,  and  the  nakedness  of  the  land.  Where  no  profits  are, 
there  is  no   English   flag. 

The  minister  told  us  also  that  steamers  from  Bhamo  now  went 
as  high  as  Mogaung.  In  this  again  I  recognised  the  admirable 
system  of  English  colonisation.  First  conquer  ;  then  follow  up 
unhesitatingly,  working  to  turn  to  use  what  has  been  acquired,  by 
pushing  trade,  by  establishing  communications,  and   by  allowing  all 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

without  reservation  and  without  delay  to  extract  the  benefits  from 
the  fresh  territory. 

We  inquired  of  our  interlocutors  as  to  their  origin.  They 
said  the  people  of  Khamti  had  always  dwelt  there,  under  their 
own  name  of  Thais,  like  the  Laotians.  The  mountain  tribes  to  the 
east,  west,  and  north  of  Khamti  were  known  by  the  general  term 
Khanungs.  One  portion  of  the  plain  was  called  Lakhoum,  and 
another,  comprising  about  a  dozen  villages  in  the  west,  Manchi- 
Khamti. 

As  at  this  point  of  the  conversation  we  appeared  to  be  on 
such  good  terms  with  each  other,  we  ventured  to  reopen  the 
subject  of  porters.  In  a  moment  our  friends'  faces  were  made 
to  exhibit  blank  amazement.  To  the  watchword  "porters"  the 
countersign  was  "presents."  Everyone  demanded  something.  We 
perceived  very  clearly  that  short  of  actual  molestation  we  had 
fallen  into  a  nest  of  brigands  ;  should  we  never  shake  off  these 
jackals  ?  A  petty  chief  from  Tsaukan  put  in  for  ten  rupees  ;  we 
refused,  having  already  given  him  enough  ;  whereupon  he  laid 
at  our  feet  a  sword-blade  sent  to  us  irom  his  people  ;  and  when 
that  was  also  declined,  said  he  could  not  take  it  back  for  very 
shame,  what  would  we  offer  i* — got  rid  of  at  five  rupees.  The 
prime  minister  next  claimed  value  for  an  ox  ; — settled  him,  and 
off"  he  went  to  confer  with  the  king.  The  evening  visits  took 
the  form  of  emissaries,  sent  to  urge  their  own,  and  to  decry  their 
neighbours',  merits.  Altogether  we  received  a  lesson  in  dis- 
crimination and  diplomacy. 

Although     at    other    times    there    was    no    regular    market,    the 

inhabitants     preferring    house-to-house    exchange,   one     sprang    up 

towards  the  end  of  our  stay  round  our  kiosk,    chiefly  for  the  sale 

of  rice,   vegetables,  eggs,   and  potatoes.      Salt  was  very  scarce  and 
X  321 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

valued  highly  ;  it  was  measured  in  small  hand-scales  against  frag- 
ments of  pottery  as  weights.  I  saw  also  a  sort  of  brown  wick 
like  that  for  lamps,  which,  soaked  in  opium,  was  used  in  the 
preparation  of  a  drink.  Amber  from  the  south  was  pretty  plenti- 
ful, and  I  was  shown  a  bit  of  rough  jasper  and  some  garnets  like 
those  in  the   Himalayas. 

In  the  people  themselves  we  recognised  the  Laotian  type, 
which  is  not  a  strongly  marked  one.  They  had  straight-set 
rather  wide-open  eyes  with  slightly  puckered  lids,  broad  nose, 
arch  of  eyebrow  and  frontal  bones  prominent,  thick  lips,  and 
olive  complexion  somewhat  deeper  than  among  the  folk  of  Laos. 
Most  of  the  men  were  ugly  ;  but  the  younger  females  had  pleasant 
faces  and  sometimes  fine  eyes.  As  a  whole,  they  were  less  in- 
quisitive and  annoying  than  a  similar  Chinese  crowd,  and  did  not 
mind  being  dispersed.  The  costume  of  the  men  was  the  langouti, 
and  a  garment  passing  under  the  left  arm  and  fastened  on  the 
right  shoulder.  Nearly  all  carried  the  short  sword  across  the 
breast,  Kioutse  fashion  ;  these  had  finely  tempered  blades  and  a 
good  balance.  A  rather  coarse  thread  stuff,  with  a  red  or  blue 
pattern  on  a  light  ground,  is  made  in  Khamti  itself,  and  calico 
prints  are  seen  equally  with  vests  of  Thibetan  poulou.  The 
women  invariably  wore  a  blue  cotton  skirt,  rather  long  and  fitted 
to  the  figure.  Their  bosoms  were  not  exposed  as  in  Laos,  and 
they  no  longer  bathed  openly  in  the  river  like  their  sisters  of  the 
south-east.  Their  carriage  was  erect  and  graceful,  with  short 
steps.  Both  sexes  smoked  pipes,  bamboo-root  with  silver  mounts, 
or  a  lone  cig-arette  made  of  the  leaf  of  a  tree.  Other  charac- 
teristics  in  common  were  the  wide-brimmed,  cone-crowned  Burmese 
straw  hat,  and  the  ear-rings  either  of  amber,  bamboo,  or  even 
leaves.      Except    in    the    case    of   two    or    three    chiefs     who     had 

322 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

English  shoes,  everyone  went  barefoot.  The  plain  folk  do  Httle 
carrying  ;  when  they  do,  they  make  use  of  a  long  bamboo  balanced 
on   the  shoulder  with  a  basket  at  either  end. 

Much  of  our  information  was  derived  from  the  minister,  who, 
when  we  got  him  alone  and  with  the  insinuation  of  a  special 
bribe  if  carriers  were  forthcoming,  displayed  no  lack  of  intelligence 
and  a  really  remarkable  memory,  by  which  he  described  the 
routes  of  departure  from  Khamti,^  and  reeled  off  almost  without 
check  each  day's  stage  for  a  month's  march.  On  this  occasion 
also  we  dispensed  with  our  cumbrous  method  of  intercourse,  and 
got  along  quite  as  fast  by  a  speedily  established  dumb-show.  In 
the  course  of  our  talk  we  learned  that  the  Singphos  and  the 
Kachins  are  one  and  the  same,  the  first  being  the  Thai  appella- 
tion and  the  second  the  Burmese.  This  people,  who  extend  south 
of  Khamti,  were  described  as  at  this  very  time  in  active  warfare 
with  the  English. 

A  petty  chief  from  a  village  to  the  west  paid  us  a  visit,  and 
he  too  possessed  a  certificate  from  Mr.  Gray.  Plenty  of  folk 
hereabout  expressed  a  desire  to  go  to  India.  If  the  route  is 
improved,  frequent  communication  between  it  and  Khamti  will 
probably  ere  long  be  established. 

The  announcement — naturally  not  made  without  fresh  gratuitv 
— of  twelve  porters  recruited  for  us  in  the  mountains,  made  us 
anxious  to  prove  the  minister's  itinerary  without  delay.  From 
Khamti  to  Bishi,  the  first  village  in  Assam,  was  said  to  be 
only  nine  days'  march,  but  without  intermediate  settlements. 
To    be    on    the    safe    side,    we    laid    in    supplies    for    eleven    days. 

'  There  are  three  routes  to  Assam  :  one  to  the  south  by  the  source  of  the  river 
Dapha  ;  a  second  by  that  of  the  river  Dihing  ;  and  a  third  to  the  north  by  the  .Mishmis. 
The  first  of  these  only  has  been  followed  :  by  Colonel  Woodthorpe  in  1S75  (1S85  ?)  and  by 
Mr.  Gray  in  1893. 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

The  minister  now  requested  a  written  testimonial  in  return  for 
his  trood  offices.  He  cot  it  in  the  form  of  a  notice,  in  French 
and  English,  warning  future  travellers  to  beware  of  the  rapacity 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Khamti,   chiefs  and  commons. 

Our  preparations  were  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  two  horse- 
men, mounted  on  broad-chested,  short-necked  tats,  like  those  of 
Annam.  One  of  these  gentry,  dressed  in  a  many  -  coloured 
langouti,  fo.\-skin  vest,  and  white  turban,  proved  to  be  a  Gourka 
of  Nepaul,  who  had  travelled  by  Darjeeling  to  Calcutta,  and 
thence  to  Ranooon,  Moulmein,  Mandalav,  Bhamo,  and  Mooauna. 
He  spoke  a  few  words  of  English,  and  confirmed  the  report  of 
fighting  between  the  English  and  the  Singphos.  He  described 
how  he  himself,  a  merchant,  had  been  made  prisoner,  bound,  and 
despoiled  of  three  thousand  rupees  and  three  cases  of  goods,  but 
had  made  his  escape  minus  everything.  An  offer  which  we 
made  him  to  accompany  our  party  back  to  India  was  declined, 
on  the  score  of  attempting  the  recovery  ot  his  lost  effects.  His 
presence  added  an  entirely  fresh  and  unexpected  type  of  Asiatic 
to  the  motley  gathering  round  our  kiosk. 

We  had  fixed  our  start  for  the  24th  (November).  The 
morning  came,  but  no  porters.  Seran-Seli,  sent  to  beat  them 
up,  raises  three  ;  the  rest  reported  coming.  Reappearance  of  king's 
son  and  minister — just  to  see  us  off,  and  to  beg  a  case  lor  the 
former's  Winchester,  which  we  gave  rather  as  one  does  a  bone 
to  a  dog.  Another  hour — still  five  carriers  short.  King's  son 
issues  orders  to  find  them.  This  not  producing  the  smallest 
effect,  "  Pessimus,"  as  Joseph  dubbed  the  avaricious  Pai'  inter- 
preter, sallies  in  quest;  and — 2  p.m. — returns — unaccompanied, 
to  say  that  they  were  certainly  there  overnight,  but  have  fled. 
Another  day  lost ! 

324 


KHAMTI   TO  INDIA 


As    one    throws    out    everything   from   a  balloon    to    lighten   it, 
so    we    decided    upon    a    still     further    reduction    of   impedimenta  ; 
and,   to   this  end,   discarded  the  men's   tents   and   as   much   else  as 
we  possibly  could.      Our   men    themselves   proposed   each   to  carry 
an  additional  share  of  the  remainder,  preferring  increased  individual 
loads   to   staying  longer  in  this  place.      They  had  now  been   more 
than     two    months 
on    the    road,    and 
were     as     anxious 
to   reach    India   as 
ourselves. 

We  were  satis- 
fied with  the  look 
of  our  CTuide,  who 
was  a  robust  and 
thick-set  fellow, 
with  more  of  the 
hillman  than  the 
plain  about  him, 
resembling  the 
Singphos  rather 
than  the  Pais,  and 
acquainted  with 
the  dialect  of  the  former.  He  was  to  accompany  us  as  far  as 
Dibrugarh,   where  we  hoped  to  reach  the  railway. 

To  fill  the  afternoon  before  our  actual  start,  I  paid  a  visit  to 
the  village  of  Panlian.  about  three  -  quarters  of  a  mile  to  the 
south.  In  the  pagoda  here  the  bonzes  had  a  large  number  of 
puppies  —  a  regular  dogs'  home.  I  was  interested  in  a  sugar- 
cane   press    in    the    courtyard.       Two    posts,   one    vertical    and    the 


> 


/f-/ 


Poulanghing,  our  Guide  lioni  Khamti. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

other  horizontal,  each  having  cogs  cut  in  their  centre,  bit  on 
each  other,  and  crushed  the  cane  as  they  revolved.  A  child 
turned  the  mill,  and  fed  it  at  the  same  time  ;  the  juice  running 
down     into    a    hollow    below.        Near     the     pagoda    stood     some 


■■■'J^m  '^ 


/V-^ /'','./'         e-r  , 


Religious  Munuments  ;it   l'.-inlian. 


religious  monuments,  in  stone  or  hardened  clay,  covered  with 
white  cement.  Their  shape  was  pyramidal,  surmounted  by  a 
sugar  loaf,  recalling  the  lotus  knob,  and  dwindling  above  through 
iron    rings    to   a    point.       On    their   sides  niches   contained  gilt   or 


!26 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

white  marble  Buddhas,  seated  or  recumbent.  We  wondered  if 
the  Khamti  worshippers  knew  of  the  existence  of  similar  shrines 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Dzayul  Mountains  to  the  north.  Another 
monument  was  in  the  form  of  a  tapering  pillar,  with  a  tablet 
as  if  for  an  inscription,  beneath  a  gilt  bird  like  a  cock.  The 
scene  as  I  lingered  on  the  brink  of  a  stream,  and  watched 
the  string  of  women  and  slow  buffaloes  moving  homeward 
through  the  shallow  ford  in  the  mellow  sunlight,  was  a  very 
lovely  and  a  lazy  one,  and  suggested  reflections  on  this  fair  region 
of  Khamti  and  its  inhabitants,  whose  artistic  and  indolent  natures 
harmonised  in  their  pose,  their  garments,  their  dwellings,  and 
their  memorials.  It  is  a  beautiful  country,  where  everything 
seemed  to  be  fitly  wedded  to  its  counterpart,  under  a  clear  sky 
and   vivifying  sun  ;    I    was  tempted  to  apply  the  line — 

O  fortunaios  nimium,  sua  si  bona  norint, 
Thais  !  .  .  . 

25th  (November). — Positively  our  last  morning!  and  a  last 
request.  The  king's  son,  through  "  Pessimus,"  insinuated  that 
he  would  be  glad  of  my  boots.  This  time  I  could  not  oblige 
him.  He  kept  us  company  for  some  distance,  and  we  parted 
friends. 

It  was  manifest  that  without  the  help  of  these  people  we 
should  have  been  hard  put  to  it  to  continue  our  journey  ;  but 
they  set  such  an  exorbitant  price  on  their  services,  and  showed 
themselves  so  petty  in  their  cupidity,  begging  up  to  the  last 
moment,  that,  despite  their  utility  to  our  plans,  they  left  on  our 
minds  the  unpleasant  reminiscence  of  a  pack  of  fawning  parasites. 
We  could  have  wished  —  for  their  sakes,  though  not  for  ours — 
to    see    them    boldly   oppose    our  advance,   and   demand  a  healthy 

327 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

ransom.  I  would  any  day  rather  pass  for  a  real  brigand  than 
for  a  cozener. 

We  had  started  with  what  porters  we  could  get  togetner  ;  and 
every  one  of  our  party  was  glad  to  be  oft  on  this  the  final  stage 
of  our  way  to  India.  The  men  marched  briskly,  and  sang, 
notwithstanding  their  heavy  burdens,  for  throughout  the  first  day 
our  direction  lay  across  the  plain.  A  few  insignificant  rivers 
had  to  be  waded,  but  the  jungle,  where  it  approached  the  paddy- 
fields,  was  of  no  density.  At  intervals  we  passed  religious 
erections,  in  the  shape  of  shrines,  tombs,  or  posts  about  5  feet 
high,  most  of  which  were  partially  gilded,  and  shone  handsomely 
in  the  sun.  From  one  villaq-e  still  came  a  demand  for  a  emi, 
but  it  sounded  only  as  an  echo  of  importunity,  and  was  treated 
with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders.  As  they  continued  to  pester  us, 
Anio,  the  plain  speaker,  promised  to  slit  their  throats  unless 
they  desisted ;  and  Fa,  who  harboured  sanguinary  notions, 
graphically  proposed  to  pluck  out  the  thin  hairs  of  their  moustaches, 
till  their  faces  should  be  as  bare  as  the  outside  of  a  copper  pot. 
So  great  a  dislike  had  our  men  taken  to  the  people  of  Khamti, 
that  their  commonly  expressed  desire  was  to  return  with  a 
hundred  well-armed  men  and  terrorise  them. 

The   26th   (November)   saw   us    into   the   mountains;    and    now 

the    heavy   loads    began    to    tell.       The    first    ridge   was  gained  at 

4,225    feet,    where,    at    the    village    of    Singleng,    we    met    with    a 

hospitality    from     the    wild     hillmen    which     contrasted     favourably 

with    that    of  the    more    civilised    folk    of   the    plain.      But  already 

troubles    were    gathering    on    our    horizon.        To    begin     with,     all 

our  carriers  did  not  get  up  to  the   night's  halting-place.      Further, 

we    here    learned    that    at    least    eighteen    days    would    be    wanted 

to   reach    Assam,    instead    of  the   Khamti  computation,   which  had 

328 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

evidently  been  based  upon  relay  porters  and  light  order.  From 
this,  the  extreme  village,  then,  we  were  confronted  with  fifteen  to 
eighteen  days'  march  through  unpeopled  mountains  with  tired 
followers.  And,  as  necessary  preliminaries,  we  must  lay  in  extra 
rice,  thereby  increasing  the  loads,  and  invent  reliefs  to  carry 
them.  It  was  a  large  mouthful  to  swallow,  but  we  were  in 
for  it. 

On  the  27th  (November),  as  if  in  answer  to  our  presenti- 
ments, the  early  mist  rolled  back,  and  disclosed  the  mighty  barrier 
awaiting  us.  The  sunrise  effects  upon  its  snowy  topmost  line  and 
among  its  peaks  and  chasms  were  superb.  As  morning  advanced, 
the  belated  porters  came  in  by  twos  and  threes,  having  slept 
where  night  overtook  them,  without  shelter,  fire,  or  food.  They 
were  quite  discouraged.  Ills  rarely  come  singly,  and  we  presently 
discovered  that  three  of  the  Kioutse  carriers  had  decamped  at 
daylight.  One  result  of  this  defection  was  the  interruption  of  our 
link  of  intercourse  with  our  guide,  which  had  henceforth  to  be 
carried  on  by  signs.  The  rest  of  the  day  was  expended  in 
unremitting  efforts  to  recruit  our  carriers  from  the  villagers. 
Fearing  lest  they  should  imagine  they  were  being  pressed  for 
corvee,  I  gave  them  to  understand  they  would  be  well  paid.  I 
need  have  been  under  no  anxiety  on  this  score;  the  Kioutses 
were  quite  alive  to  our  straits,  and  demanded  five  rupees  per 
man  per  diem,  which  terms  we  perforce  conceded.  As  an 
appropriate  culmination  to  the  day's  adversities,  several  of  our 
own  men  went  down  with  a  bout  of  fever.  I  treated  them  with 
quinine  and   kola. 

Some  of  the  people  of  this  part  smoked  opium,  though  not  in 
the  Chinese  fashion.  They  cut  up  a  bit  of  the  sodden  wick  already 
mentioned,   and   boiled   it   in  a  little  water.     Then   chopping   very 

329 


FROM  TONKIN   TO  INDIA 

fine  a  leaf  resembling  plantain,  and  drying  it,  they  steeped  the 
fibre  in  the  opium  decoction,  and  smoked  it  in  a  wooden  hubble- 
bubble. 

On  the  28th  (November)  more  ballast  was  thrown  out.  We 
jettisoned  Briffaud's  valise  and  the  frame  of  his  camp  bed,  Rou.x's 
cloak,  and  the  hammers,  axes,  and  leather  bags.  It  was  imperative 
that  we  should  have  sixteen  days'  rations,  and  our  only  chance  was 
to  make  forced  marches  under  lighter  loads.  Even  now,  with 
scarcity  staring  them  in  the  face,  I  found  it  hard  to  stir  our  men 
to  a  sense  of  the  situation.     Their  indifference  is  constitutional. 

Our  first  camp  after  leaving  Singleng  was  three  miles  on,  and 
by  the  evening  we  had  only  accomplished  half  a  stage.  Fifteen 
days'  food  left  :  our  reflections  were  not  rosy.  Ever  since  our 
arrival  at  Khamti,  previously  so  longed  for,  we  had  had  nothing 
but  vexations  ;  and  now,  when  we  thought  our  toils  almost  ended, 
the  greatest  difficulties  were  in  reality  beginning.  There  was  no 
advantage  in  returning  to  Khamti  ;  a  lengthened  sojourn  there, 
or  an  attempt  on  another  route  under  identical  conditions,  were 
equally  futile.  It  was  not  a  question  of  luxury  but  of  bare  sub- 
sistence, and  it  was  annoying  to  feel  that  a  slight  lack  of  prevision 
should  jeopardise  both  our  followers  and  ourselves. 

The  guide,  who  had  been  away  trying  to  enlist  porters,  rejoined 
on  the  29th  (November)  with  twelve  men,  and  we  moved  off  with- 
out loss  of  time.  Our  march  was  a  rough  one,  partly  beside  a 
rushing  grey  -  blue  torrent,  the  Nam  -  Lang,  crossed  later  in  the 
day  at  a  quiet  spot,  and  partly  in  the  w"oods.  Indeed  it  was  a 
repetition  on  a  minor  scale  of  the  Kiou-kiang,  not  omitting  the 
leeches.  Now  and  then  in  the  more  open  spots  we  saw  traces 
of  circular  enclosures  of  crossed  bamboo  sticks,  which  may  have 
been,    as    was    said,    intended    for    protection    against   panthers    or 

330 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

tigers ;    if   so,    they   were   utterly   inadequate    for   the   purpose,   and 

we    inclined    to    the    belief    that    they    were    connected    with    some 

religious    superstition.       When    we    bivouacked    for    the    night,    we 

should    have   felt   more  satisfied  with   the   day's  work  if  fever   had 

not   eot   a  firm   hold   on   four  of   our  men.      Loureti,    the   voungrest 

of   the    troop,    was    the    worst    case,    and    kept    up    with    difficulty, 

although    the    unselfish    Anio    took    his    pack   as    well   as   his   own. 

Their   condition    distressed    us,    as   we    could   do   little   to   alleviate 

it   beyond   giving   them    flannel   shirts   and   quinine.      It   is   perhaps 

needless  to  say  that  this  and  the  days  that  followed  proved  the  utter 

fallaciousness  of  the   information  supplied   us   at   Khamti.      "  Pessi- 

mus  "   had  assured  us  we  should  have  no  more  torrent  scrambles  ; 

we    had    little    else.       As    for    Hoe    Daung,    the    minister,    he    had 

told   us   that   we   could   have    no   difficulty   in    finding    the   wa\-,    as 

there   was    no    choice ;    he    might    have    added    that,    lor    the   most 

part,    there    was    no    route    to    lose.      Without    the    guide    it    must 

have  been   impossible  for  us   to  guess  it. 

We    ascended    the    valley   of   the    Nam  -  Tsai,    finding    plentiful 

signs    of    forest    rangers     in     the     spoor    of    antelope,    tigers,    and 

rhinoceros.       W'e   had   to   thank    the    latter   for   many   an    enlarged 

path  and   flattened  bank.      Poulanghing,   the    guide,   e.\plained    that 

these  are  two-horned   rhinos,   and  that  their  flesh   is  good.       Their 

prints  were  not  so  large  as  those  which    I   had  seen  in  Sundarbunds. 

In    this    forest    march  we  came  to  a  clearing  where  was  a  muddy 

spring,   a    likely   lair    for   wild    pig.      In    a    large    tree   was    built    a 

machan  or  small  bamboo  platform,  whence  a  hunter  could  command 

the  descent  of  tiger  or  rhinoceros  to  drink. 

Near  our  midday  halt  we  had  a  stroke  of  luck  in  ihi-  discovery 

of  two  loads  of  rice    placed   under   cover,   no   doubt   by  some   folk 

against    their    return    from    Assam.       It    was    a    godsend     and     a 

1 1  -» 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

temptation  ;  we  had  thirteen  days'  food  left,  and  the  tjuide  declared 
there  were  fifteen  stages  at  least  before  we  could  hope  to  reach 
a  village.  We  therefore  did  not  hesitate,  but  took  one  basket, 
and  left  some  rupees  in  its  place.  During  the  day  we  passed 
a  crest  of  6,175  feet.  More  evidence  of  tigers  abounding;  by 
the  site  of  our  camp  lay  the  scattered  relics  of  some  traveller, 
said  to  have  been  eaten. 

2nd  (December). — Looking  out  through  the  trees  on  a  hilltop, 
we  perceived,  right  before  us,  the  great  chain  of  separation  between 
the  basins  of  the  Irawadi  and  the  Brahmaputra.  It  appeared  of 
great  altitude,  and  snow  covered  its  rocky  summits.  In  the  north- 
west, at  the  head  of  the  valley  into  which  we  were  about  to  descend, 
the  guide  pointed  out  a  dip  in  the  range  as  the  pass  over  which 
our  route  would  lie.  To  counteract  the  pleasure  which  the  sight 
gave  us,  a  number  of  misfortunes  assailed  us  at  once,  and  we  saw 
that  Fate  was  not  going  to  admit  us  into  India  without  protest. 
Roux  dragged  himself  into  camp  under  a  sharp  access  of  fever 
which  had  followed  a  nig-ht  chill.  Briffaud  also  was  on  the  sick- 
list  from  a  similar,  though  slighter,  attack.  By  the  afternoon 
Joseph  and  two  others  were  hors  dc  combat  with  ailments  and 
wounds.      A  half-day  halt  had  to  be  called. 

To  further  curtail  our  baggage,  my  valise  was  ne.xt  to  go. 
.Some  of  its  contents  we  put  into  a  lottery  for  the  men,  to  keep 
up  their  spirits.  The  wag  Petalon  drew  the  chief  prize,  a  pair 
of  double  glasses.  As  for  my  poor  litde  volumes  of  V.  Hugo 
and  de  Musset,  my  companions  for  many  a  month,  it  was  with  a 
pang  that  I  saw  their  leaves  help  to  kindle  a  fire  for  barbarians  ; 
the  bird  labels  and  photograph  slips  were  transformed  into  quills 
for  the   ears  of  the    Kioutses,  and   the   pages  of  a   dictionary  went 


for  cigarettes. 


334 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

Before  turning  in,  all  hands  came  for  medical  treatment,  and 
I  allayed  their  complaints  as  far  as  possible  with  kola,  quinine,  or 
opium  pills.  But  it  was  high  time  to  arrive  somewhere  ;  the  store 
of  remedies  was  well-nigh  exhausted. 

When  we  again  set  forward,  heavy  work  fell  on  the  column  in 
hacking  a  way  through  the  bamboos  and  creepers.  One  advantage 
in  this  slow  progress  was  that  it  allowed  the  more  sickly  to  get 
up  with  the  main  body  by  nightfall.  On  the  way  we  started  some 
hornbills  that,  with  enormous  beaks  and  resounding  wings,  flew 
over  our  heads  with  much  clangour.  In  two  spots  we  saw  deserted 
huts  ;  among  the  wayfarers  who  traverse  these  solitary  chains  many 
never  complete  their  journey,  victims  to  tigers  or  starvation.  The 
first  pioneers  who  penetrated  these  fastnesses  must,  I  imagines- 
have  done  so  by  degrees,  each  improving  a  little  on  his  pre- 
decessor. 

4th  (December). — Roux  was  so  ill  as  to  be  unable  to  move, 
and  Briffaud  was  not  much  better.  As  the  situation  grew  graver, 
I  decided  to  send  on  Seran-Seli  with  a  flying  column  of  a  few 
reliable  men,  and  the  less  robust,  the  guide,  and  the  Kioutses. 
We  divided  the  food  so  as  to  give  ten  days'  rice  at  three  bowls 
per  diem,  and  I  made  up  a  few  papers  of  kola  and  quinine  for  them. 
His  detachment  could  move  fairly,  with  the  exception  of  one  old 
Christian,  whose  case  caused  us  anxiety.  His  heart  was  weak  ; 
and  it  was  a  painful  sight  to  see  him  tottering  on  with  fi.xed  eyes 
and  swollen  limbs  ;  he  was  too  feeble  any  longer  to  bear  a  burden. 
If  only  we  o-ot  him  to  a  village,  we  miyht  save  him  vet.  The 
main  body,  consisting  of  the  stronger  men,  our  boys,  Joseph,  my 
sick  comrades,  and  myself,  must  remain  where  we  were  for  a  day. 
That  was  the  longest  we  could  rest  with  safety.  My  further  plans 
were  that  if  on  the  morrow  my  two  companions  were  no  better, 

335 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

they  should  stay  where  they  were,  with  three  men  and  twelve 
davs'  food.  The  others,  with  myself,  would  push  on  in  the  track 
of  Seran-Seli  on  short  rations,  remitting  or  depositing  as  much 
and  as  often  as  possible  for  the  rear  party,  who  should  follow  as 
they  were  able.  Distressing  as  it  was  to  leave  any  sick  in  the 
midst  of  the  mountains  with  such  slender  resources,  this  was  the 
only  feasible  scheme,  for  the  first  to  reach  help  would  immediately 
pass  it  back  along  the  line. 

That  tedious  day  of  halt  we  spent  in  such  distractions  as  each 
could  devise  for  himself  and  his  fellows.  We  were  twenty-two 
in  camp,  including  two  Kioutses  kept  back  as  useful  in  tracking. 
We  might  deem  ourselves  fortunate  to  have  round  us  such  a  loval, 
enduring,  and  plucky  band  of  followers.  Actually,  on  acquainting 
Anio  with  the  prospect  of  relinquishing  the  sick,  he  and  the  other 
Thibetans  were  for  attempting  to  carry  them  on  their  shoulders, 
but  the  tangled  path   rendered  litters  impracticable. 

The  5th  (December)  found  Rou.\  incapable  of  the  exertion  of 
walking,  and  we  put  our  dispositions  into  effect.  Two  men 
remained  with  him,  and  we  furnished  him  with  nearly  all  our  little 
reserve  stock  of  candles,  compressed  soup,  medicine,  and  tobacco. 
And  so  we  left  our  comrade,  reluctantly,  but  with  good  hope  that 
before  many  days  he  would  be  on  our  trail.  Heaven  alone  knew 
what  would  be  the  end  of  all  this,  and  I  ardently  longed  to  see 
our  whole  troop  reunited   in  the  nearest  village  of  Assam. 

Briffaud,  though  much  e.xhausted,  resolved  to  keep  going. 
Our  reduced  column  had  rather  a  hunted  aspect,  especially  forlorn 
beino;  that  ot  the  two  Kioutses.  who  at  everv  halt  crouched  with 
their  elbows  on  their  knees,  shaking  in  every  limb.  We  bivouacked 
that  night  under  a  big  rock  that  offered  a  natural  shelter  in  the 
.middle  of  the  forest.      There  were  traces  of  previous  travellers  in 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

five  or  six  small  bamboo  altars  with  a  few  propitiatory  grains  of 
rice  for  the  genius  of  the  mountain.  Before  quitting  the  spot  next 
morning,  we  left  a  line  of  encouragement  for  Roux  to  find  when 
he  came  along.  This  was  a  terrible  day  in  all  respects.  We  made 
a  late  start  in  shivering  cold,  which  was  not  improved  in  my  own 
case  by  an  involuntary  bath  in  an  icy  torrent.  Fever,  too,  laid 
hold  of  Joseph.  At  a  little  over  7,000  feet  we  came  into  the  region 
of  conifers,  which  we  had  not  seen  lately,  and  shortly  after  reached 
the  snow.  It  was  only  ankle  deep,  but  the  shoulders  of  the  great 
chain  to  our  left  were  spread  with  flawless  folds.  From  the  pass 
we  were  on  we  could  see  behind  us  the  Nam  Phungan  vallej-,  the 
wide  depression  where  Khamti  lay,  and  in  the  background  a 
tumbled  mass  of  mountains,  to  the  right  of  which  a  white  line 
marked  the  dividing  range  between  the  Salwen  and  the  Kiou-kiang; 
it  had  not  its  winter  coat  when  we  traversed  it.  Before  us  the 
valley  of  the  Dapha  burrowed  into  the  hills,  and  on  our  right 
loomed  the  dim  outline  of  big  Daphaboum.  From  this  point  the 
downward  streams  we  should  cross  would  be  bound  for  the  Brahma- 
l)utra.  We  had  done  with  the  basin  of  the  Irawadi,  and  our  feet 
were  now  in  India,  —  India  the  rich,  India  the  wonderful,  a  name 
to  conjure  with,  and  a  land  to  conquer  from  the  days  of  Alexander 
to  Napoleon.  I  could  hardly  believe  that  our  object  was  so  nearly 
attained,  that  we  had  achieved  our  design  in  its  entirety  ;  explored 
the  Chinese  Mekono-,  fixed  the  sources  of  the  great  English 
Irawadi,  and  debouched  on  India;  that  it  had  been  reserved  for 
us  to  fulfil  the  dream  of  so  many  Englishmen,  by  finding  the 
shortest  route  from   China  into   India. 

But    imagination   outstripped   reality.       Soon    after    passing   the 
col,  word  was  brought  that  Joseph,  far  in  rear,  was  prostrated  by 
fever.      To   forsake   him    there  was   certain  death,   to   send    back   a 
Y  ro7 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

man  with  food  to  stand  by  in  an  exposed,  waterless  spot  would 
court  the  loss  of  both.  In  this  crisis  Anio  again  came  to  the 
fore,  and  volunteered  to  go  back  and  bring  him  in  ;  or,  if  that 
were  impossible,  to  get  him  over  the  pass  into  shelter.  We  gave 
him  godspeed  and  a  supply  of  food.  At  the  same  time  one  of  the 
Kioutses,  a  rice  bearer,  dropped  behind  shaking  with  cold  and 
fever.  We  could  not  stay  in  the  snow,  and  went  on  until  we 
came  to  the  ground  where  the  advanced  party  had  passed  the 
preceding  night.  We  found  two  of  them  awaiting  us  w-ith  the 
news  that  the  old  Christian  had  disappeared  the  evening  before. 
Seran-Seli  had  searched  long  and  unremittingly,  but  without  success, 
and  it  is  to  be  feared  the  poor  fellow  crawled  into  some  hole,  where 
he  succumbed  to  his  privations,  or  fell  a  prey  to  wild  beasts.  A 
great  grief  fell  upon  the  whole  troop  at  the  loss  of  a  member  of 
our  united  little  family — a  feeling  rendered  more  melancholy  by 
our  inability  to  recover  and  bury  his  body.  In  the  evening,  after 
mealtime,  when  the  moon  was  up  and  the  wind  blew  cold  off  the 
snow-fields,  the  men  knelt  in  a  circle  round  the  fire  with  their 
faces  turned  towards  Tsekou.  Even  we  were  shivering;  but  the 
Thibetans,  with  bare  limbs  and  uncovered  heads  and  their  tchaupas 
thrown  open  at  the  chest,  recited  the  litanies  for  the  dead.  There 
was  something  deeply  moving  in  the  sight  of  such  simple  mourn- 
ing, and  we  joined  them  with  sincere  reverence.  When  we  set 
forward  on  the  next  morning,  the  men  out  of  respect  left  on  the 
spot  the  few  coverings  that  had  been  the  old  man's.  And  that 
was  all  his  monument. 

7th  (December). — Joseph  and  Anio  happily  rejoined  us  ;  but  our 
concern  was  transferred  to  Briffaud  and.  another,  who  were  in  a 
very  weak  state.  We  made  a  short  stage,  but  it  was  downhill 
towards   the    Dapha,   and    the    sun   both    warmed    and   cheered   us. 

-,  -,,Q 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

There  was  plenty  of  talk  in  the  troop  of  "Kalikata"  (Calcutta), 
and  Anio  declared  that  he  must  learn  some  English  words,  notably 
"wine"  and  "sugar,"  for  with  the  former  one  could  laugh  at  fever 
and  cold.  The  big  heathen,  Atong,  had  a  remedy  against  these 
foes  in  a  bowl  of  hot  water,  into  which  he  scraped  a  couple  of 
pimentos  and  some  ginger. 

Throughout  the  forenoon  of  the  Sth  (December)  we  followed 
a  wooded  track  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Nam-Dapha.  I  went  on 
ahead,  and  had  a  regular  paper-chase  in  discovering  the  blazed 
trees  and  broken  branches  of  the  advanced  column  from  among 
the  numerous  false  scents  of  wild  animals.  We  could  not  have 
been  far  behind  the  others,  for  at  one  place  we  found  the  embers 
of  their  fire  still  smouldering,  and  a  mouke  or  tally,  on  which  were 
cut  some  Thibetan  signs  to  warn  us  that  there  was  no  water  in 
front.  We  therefore  provided  ourselves  with  bamboo  tubes  full, 
carried  in  bandolier.  A  large  monkey  which  I  shot  proved  a 
welcome  addition  to  the  camp  kettle.  It  was  of  the  fair  sex, 
and  very  tough,  but  we  picked  her  bones.  A  wearisome  climb 
had  taken  it  out  of  us,  and  the  bivouac  was  one  of  general  dejection. 
Each  one  realised  that  it  was  a  struQ^ole  for  life  now  ;  the  Kioutses 
contradicted  themselves  every  hour.  Many  footprints  of  tigers 
cutting  the  fresh  ones  of  our  men  showed  the  sympathetic  creatures 
had  wind  of  us.  But  I  had  no  desire  here  for  a  return  call  from 
those  old  friends,  whose  acquaintance  1  had  formerly  sought  in 
India,   and  guns  were  fired  at  dusk  to  warn  them  off 

9th  (December). — We  had  only  rice  for  one  more  day  and  a 
breakfast.  At  daybreak  Anio  despatched  the  two  Kioutses  to 
catch  up  the  leaders,  who  had  two  days'  more  supplies  than  we, 
and  to  tell  them  to  leave  a  little  by  the  way  for  us.  The  march 
was  now  along  crests,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  viewed  through  the 

339 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 

trees  the  end  of  the  mountains  and  a  distant  plain,  in  \vhich  the 
Dihing  lay  like  a  ribbon.  Safety  looked  a  long  way  off  The 
only  water  we  found  on  this  stage  was  dark  and  brackish  ;  but  we 
made  tea  with  it,  called  it  coffee,  and  drank.  No  strao-frlers  on 
this  day. 

loth  (December). — The  descent  continued  of  a  kind  which 
frequent  falls  had  rendered  familiar  to  us,  down  a  watercourse, 
from  rock  to  rock.  In  the  tops  of  the  trees  grey  apes  with  black 
faces  swung  by  their  long  tails,  and  Sao  managed  with  his  Win- 
chester to  bag  a  little  one,  which  did  not  go  far  among  so  many. 
A  thread  of  smoke  to  our  right  attracted  us,  as  it  had  been  intended, 
to  the  site  of  the  previous  camp  ;  and  there,  on  a  bamboo  decorated 
with  plantain  leav^es,  Seran-Seli  had  hung  a  little  bag  of  rice,  show- 
ing that  our  Kioutses  had  overtaken  him.  This  furnished  us 
with  a  meal,  which  was  taken  at  once.  Two  more  men  (Tatou 
and  Petalon)  fell  out.  We  could  not  stop  for  them,  but  left  them 
in  charge  of  each  other.  Anio  now  marched  so  fast,  almost  at  a 
trot,  that  I  could  scarce  keep  up  with  him.  A  mountain  river 
of  considerable  dimensions  and  strength  next  confronted  us,  and 
demanded  three  separate  fordings  at  spots  marked  for  us  by 
pyramids  of  stone.  The  water  was  cold  and  the  bottom  ragged, 
so  that  the  performance  was  not  an  enjoyment.  Wet  to  the  waist, 
we  mended  our  pace,  hoping  to  come  in  sight  of  a  village  at  every 
bend  of  the  stream.  Instead,  to  our  chagrin,  we  stumbled  on  to 
a  bank  of  sand,  where  further  footprints  ended.  Some  tree  trunks 
thrust  into  mid-current  showed  that  someone  had  attempted  a 
bridgfe,  and  failed.  There  was  no  evadincr  it, — into  the  water  we 
must  go  again.  But  we  had  had  enough  for  the  day,  it  would 
keep  till  the  morning  ;    and   I   called  a  halt. 

The  men  had  nothing  to  eat,  but  there  was  still  some  tea,  so  we 

340 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

crowded  round  the  fire,  and  were  not  more  down-hearted  than  was 
necessary.  This  time,  at  any  rate,  we  were  at  the  foot  of  the 
formidable  chains  for  good.  Had  I  been  in  the  humour  to  admire 
nature  at  this  period,  I  should  have  been  struck  with  wonder  at  the 
scene  which  the  sunset  lit  for  us.  The  head  of  the  valley  was 
closed  by  a  bold  buttress  of  the  remoter  mountains  whence  we  had 
come.  Low  down  by  the  river  the  trees  already  lay  in  softened 
dimness,  but  the  departing  light  was  moving  slowly  upwards  from 
slope  to  sheer,  blending  bands  of  deepening  heather  shadows  at  the 
base  as  though  laid  with  the  broad  sweep  of  a  painter's  hand,  until 
aloft  as  it  touched  the  cameo-tinted  snow  the  purple  paled  to  violet 
and  the  violet  blushed  to  rose.  This  was  perhaps  the  last  look  we 
should  have  of  the  Dzayul  chain,  where  its  final  limits  reach  the 
borderland  of  India. 

iith  (December). — Abandoned  the  tent  and  other  portions  of 
baggage.  After  reconnoitring  the  bridge  end  and  finding  deep 
water,  the  men  scattered  up  and  down  the  banks  to  seek  a  passage, 
but  returned  nonplused.  As  they  huddled  like  sheep  and  hung 
back,  Sao  cut  the  knot  by  plunging  in  and  struggling  through, — the 
water  was  up  to  the  arm-pits,  and  bitterly  cold.  The  whole  of  the 
day  we  followed  the  windings  of  the  valley,  now  on  the  margin,  now 
in  the  woods  to  cut  off  promontories,  and  in  narrow  places  we  laid 
bamboo  slides.  The  work  was  nearly  as  bad  as  that  by  the  Kiou- 
kiang.  Empty  stomachs  caused  our  knees  to  knock  and  our 
heads  to  swim,  and  the  advance  left  a  very  vague  impression  on  our 
minds.  Anio  had  got  ahead  of  us,  still  bearing  his  pack,  and, 
notwithstanding  that  he  had  had  nothing  to  eat  since  noon  of  the 
day  previous,  he  sang  or  whistled  as  loud  as  he  could  to  cheer  us 
whenever  he  stopped.  About  four  o'clock  I  heard  shouts  and  a 
gunshot    from    the   front,    and   with    my   field-glasses    distinguished 

341 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

more  than  one  figure.  Presently  we  came  up  with  Anio  sitting  on 
a  stone,  and  with  him  layo,  one  of  the  Thibetans  of  the  leading 
column,  and  a  Kioutse.  Best  of  all  to  our  famished  eyes,  they  had 
rice  for  us.  In  a  short  time  we  were  seated  round  a  bowl,  which 
to  my  mind  tasted  better  than  the  finest  dinner  at  the  Caf^ 
Anglais. 

The  news  of  the  first  division  showed  that  they  too  had 
been  in  a  critical  situation.  Three  Kioutses  had  been  lost,  and 
only  found  that  morning ;  when  the  guide  cheerfully  proposed  to 
have  them  killed.  But  Seran-Seli  had  fallen  in  with  four  hunters 
belonging  to  a  small  village,  which  we  might  hope  to  reach  ne.xt 
evening  or  the  day  after.  Thus  reassured,  we  called  for  volunteers 
to  start  back  for  Tatou  and  P^talon,  the  two  we  had  left  yesterday, 
At  first  the  reward  offered  did  not  _  meet  with  any  immediate 
response  ;  their  sufferings  were  too  fresh  to  make  any  an.xious  to 
retrace  that  route.  Eventually  layo  and  a  Kioutse  declared  them- 
selves willing,  and  departed.  Poor  layo's  courageous  devotion 
deserved  a  better  end  than  he  shortly  afterwards  met  from  sick- 
ness in  Calcutta. 

Throughout  the  12th  (December)  we  proceeded  more  leisurely 
along  the  shores  of  the  Nam-Dihing.  The  hills  receded,  and  left 
room  for  many  branches  and  islets  and  sandy  bars,  on  which  traces 
of  wild  o.xen  were  frequent.  Nevertheless  we  had  not  done  with 
crossings  yet,  and  four  times  in  as  many  miles  did  we  ford  the 
stream.  The  end  came  at  length,  and  quickening  down  an 
excellent  path  we  saw  with  joyful  eyes  a  field  of  millet  and  a 
house. 

Seran-Seli  and  the  guide  were  waiting  for  us.  The  last  fourteen 
days  had  made  us  feel  like  shipwrecked  sailors  sighting  land  again. 
Our  satisfaction    was    only   marred    by   the    thought    of   those   still 

342 


KHAMTI   TO  INDIA 

behind  us  in  the  mountains.  We  could  not  but  feel  very  anxious 
till  we  could  succour  them.  As  an  immediate  measure,  people  were 
set  to  work  preparing  rice  for  the  relief  column. 

The  village  we  had  lit  upon  was  Bouniang,  on  a  confluent  of 
the  Nam-Dapha,  two  days  from  Bishi.  The  inhabitants  and  their 
language  were  strange  to  us.  They  were  styled  Khamangs  by  our 
guide.  These  Khamangs,  I  discovered,  were  no  other  than  the 
Mishmis,  the  English  calling  them  by  the  latter  and  the  Singphos 
by  the  former  name.  I  was  glad  of  the  chance  of  seeing  these 
noted  IVIishmis,  of  such  fierce  repute,  among  whom  Fathers  Krik 
and  Bourry  met  their  death,  and  who  are  opposing  the  English  by 
the  Dzayul  valley.  They  are  more  like  the  Pais  than  the  Kioutses, 
being  almost  brown,  with  rather  large  noses  and  cheek-bones,  and 
small  chins.  They  wear  their  hair  in  a  knot  on  the  top  of  their 
head,  and  are  clad  in  a  sleeveless  coat  to  the  knees,  open  in  front, 
and  a  loin  cloth  ;  over  their  shoulders  they  occasionally  throw  a 
covering  like  the  Pais,  either  striped  brown  or  all  scarlet.  Their 
ears  are  pierced  with  a  metal  tube,  to  which  sometimes  a  ring  is 
hung.  Slung  across  the  shoulder  are  a  slender  sword,  and  a  pouch 
made  of  the  skin  of  a  wild  animal.  The  women  have  in  front  of 
their  hair  a  silver  crescent  held  behind  by  cowries,  and  the  knot 
above  is  transfixed  by  wooden  pins.  A  thin  silver  circlet  with  a 
small  cock's  feather  is  fastened  to  the  upper  part  of  the  ear,  and 
necklets  of  brass  wire  or  glass  ware  are  also  seen.  They  wear  a 
sort  of  waistcoat,  brown,  short-sleeved,  and  cut  in  to  the  figure 
before  and  behind. 

The  dwellings  were  small,  and  on  piles.  The  construction  of 
their  tombs  seemed  to  point  to  a  more  religious,  or  at  any  rate  super- 
stitious, character  than  that  of  the  Kioutses  we  had  hitherto  met, 
nor    were    they    less    distinguished    from    them    in    their    bellicose 

o4j 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

humour.       A   couple  of  our  men  having  dug  up  some  potatoes    in 
a  field,  the  chief  of  Bouniang  made  for  them   with  a  knife. 

Some  of  our  folk  had  gone  to  a  neighbouring  village  to 
forage,  and  now  returned  at  the  head  of  a  company  clothed  in 
all  respects  like  Pais,  and  resembling  them  also  in  face.  They 
proved  to  be  Singphos.  Their  leader  wore  a  long  toga  of 
Thibetan   poulou,   and  brought  us  a  gift  of  eggs,   fish,   and  rice. 

By  the  next  morning  sufficient  supplies  were  collected  to 
start  off  a  rescue  party  of  three  men  under  Oumbo,  with  enough 
for  a  six  days'  march  and  back,  revictualling  Roiix's  and  layo's 
detachments  en  roiitc.  I  felt  easier  when  they  had  gone :  pro- 
vided that  our  comrade  had  succeeded  in  passing  the  col,  he 
would  be   out   of  danger. 

We  ourselves  proceeded  across  the  valley  of  the  Dapha. 
This  river  rolls  down  from  the  north  in  many  branches  over 
a  pebbly  bottom,  and  was  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  from  side 
to  side.  Higher  up  it  must  have  an  imposing  course ;  here  it 
was  easily  fordable.  On  the  farther  shore  we  came  to  three  long 
buildings,  each  over  60  feet  long,  as  at  Melekeu.  This  was 
Daphagang.  We  did  not  at  first  understand  the  meaning  of 
our  cold  reception  ;  we  were  prevented  passing  through  a  house, 
and  told  that  it  was  de  regie  to  make  your  entry  and  exit  by 
the  same  door,  and  though  live  stock  abounded  there  was  an 
evident  disinclination  to  deal.  The  enigma,  however,  was  soon 
solved.  The  chief  being  rich  did  not  want  money  ;  what  he 
desired  was  a.  certificate  and  some  European  object  at  our  hands. 
We  luckily  had  a  pair  of  double  glasses  left,  and  the  clouds  were 
immediately  dispelled.  The  language  of  these  Singphos  differed 
again  from  previous  idioms ;  they  were  familiar  with  several 
Hindustani  words. 

344 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 


We  had  thought  that  henceforward  our  progress  was  to  be 
little  more  than  a  promenade.  But  we  were  undeceived  in 
several  particulars.  On  continuing  we  had  a  splendid  path 
until  midday  through  trees,  among  which  we  startled  many  large 
monkeys  and  hornbills,  and  elephant  trails  were  fresh  and 
misleading.  But  after  that  the  track  was  lost,  and  for  several 
miles  we    had    to   tear  our  way   through    thorny   undergrowth    and 


Ford  on  the  Nam-Diliin: 


Stony  nullahs.  When  we  struck  the  Nam-Dihing  on  the  left 
bank,  a  precipitous  bluff  stood  full  in  our  way,  with  no  passage 
between  its  base  and  the  water.  It  had  therefore  to  be  assailed 
in  flank,  and  proved  a  hard  nut  to  crack  on  account  of  con- 
stant backsliding  and  falling  stones  dislodged  by  the  leading  files. 
It  was  a  curious  landmark,  obtruding  itself  lOO  feet  high  from 
the  otherwise  level  surroundings.  Down  by  the  river  again  we 
found    a    reed    hut    with    four    Singphos    fishing.       They    sold    us 

345 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


twenty  grand  fish,  mahseers,  many  weighing  over  5  lbs.  If  I 
had  had  lines,  and  had  not  been  so  tired,  I  must  have  joined 
them. 

The  valley  of  the  Nam-Dihing  is  wide,    and   bounded  by   low 
wooded    hills.       The     river-bed    in    which    we    walked     for    some 

distance  testified  to 
the  size  of  the  river  in 
flood.  As  it  was,  we 
had  to  ford  it  in  many 
arms,  and  at  the  village 
of  Mong-Pien  to  cross 
by  raft.  At  the  latter 
place  we  were  well 
received  by  the  people, 
who  let  off  guns  in  our 
honour,  and  amongst 
whom  we  met  a 
young  man  who  had 
been  guide  to  Colonel 
Woodthorpe  in  1875 
(1885?)  and  later  to 
Mr.  Gray.  Bishi  was 
declared  to  be  but  a 
short  distance  farther. 
At  our  approach  the  aged  chief  of  Bishi  came  out  to  meet 
us,  and  escorted  us  to  a  house  where  we  made  ourselves  com- 
fortable once  more  within  four  walls.  This  was  on  the  i6th 
(December). 

During  the   three   days   which   we   spent   at    Bishi  we  lived   on 
the    fat    of    the    land,    and    the    time    passed    agreeably,    but    for 

346 


/ 

\ 

V: 

/'i 

/' 

/,i'-^'7 


Chief  at  liislii 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 

anxiety  on  Roux's  account.  The  men  did  not  prepossess  me 
very  favourably  even  in  comparison  with  the  Khamti  Thais, 
being  their  inferiors  both  in  industry  and  civiHsation.  Round 
the  fire  in  the  evening  it  was  interesting  to  reckon  up  the  different 
tongues  which  were  trying  mutually  to  converse  :  they  were 
nine, — Chinese,  Thibetan,  Mosso,  Lissou,  Loutse,^  Thai,  Singpho, 
Mishmi,    and    Hindu,   called   here    Monam. 

In  a  corner  of  an  open  space  of  the  village  were  two  rows  of 
five  small  holes  with  two  larg-er  ones  at  either  end,  into  which 
the  people  tossed  small  pebbles.  I  did  not  understand  the 
game,  but  I  had  seen  something  similar  played  by  negroes  at 
Majunga.  Outside  the  village  there  was  a  clearing  beneath 
some  large  trees,  which  seemed  as  though  intended  as  a  place  of 
prayer.  Along  the  path  that  led  to  it  trunks  of  trees,  cut 
longitudinally,  faced  each  other  in  pairs,  with  a  third,  the  bark 
of  which  hung  in  shreds  from  half  its  height,  in  the  middle. 
The  adjacent  woods  appeared  full  of  game. 

On  the  i/th  (December)  layo,  Tatou,  and  Petalon  came 
in.  The  two  latter  had  given  themselves  up  for  lost  by  the 
time  aid  reached  them.  They  said  that  they  found  in  the  sand 
the  footprints  of  a  tiger  which  had  regularly  followed  our 
column,    like  a  shark   in  the   wake  of  a  ship. 

By  the  19th  (December)  we  had  hoped  to  have  news  of 
Roux  ;  but  none  coming  up  to  that  date,  and  the  feeding  of  so 
large  a  number  of  visitors  taxing  the  resources  of  the  place,  we 
deemed  it  expedient  to  move  on  by  slow  marches  into  the  plain. 
Accordingly  our  troop  left  Bishi  on  the  20th  (December)  in  the 
morning.       Sao,    Joseph,    and    I    were    to    follow    at    noon.       We 

^  The  Kioutses  from  Singleng  spoke  a  slightly  altered  dialect.      They  called  themselves 
Metouans. 

347 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

intrusted  a  letter  and  some  money  for  Roux  to  the  chief,  with 
injunctions  that  as  soon  as  he  should  be  signalled  a  messenger 
should  be  sent  after  us.  I  had  just  gone  into  the  house,  when 
Sao  came  running  in,  calling,  "Here  he  is!",  and  "Loutajen!" 
shouted  Joseph  at  the   same  moment   from  without. 

The  joy  with  which  we  met  may  be  imagined.  We  both 
breathed  freely  again,  and  a  great  weight  was  lifted  off  my  mind. 
The  whole  party  was  safe  and  sound,  and  could  afford  to  look 
back  upon  deliverance  from  a  very  near  thing. 

Roux's  story  was  as  follows :  For  two  whole  days  after  our 
departure  he  had  been  unable  to  move.  The  fever  then  abated, 
but  left  him  very  weak.  By  the  time  they  got  to  the  pass  fresh 
snow  had  nearly  obliterated  our  tracks.  They  were  disturbed  by 
the  nightly  proximity  of  a  tiger,  doubtless  the  same  that  snuffed  us, 
whose  respect  evidently  decreased  as  numbers  diminished.  When 
they  reached  the  Nam-Dihing  they  were  stopped  by  a  spate,  and 
one  of  them  narrowly  escaped  drowning  while  trying  to  make 
a  bridge.  As  it  was,  he  was  cast  ashore  on  the  wrong  side,  and 
passed  the  night  without  fire  or  food,  and  soaked.  The  "Doctor" 
and  the  other  meanwhile  retraced  their  steps  through  the  woods 
in  the  dark  in  search  of  a  ford,  with  the  agreeable  reflection  that 
they  were  cut  off  by  a  big  river  with  almost  empty  haversacks. 
Their  disquietude  was  augmented  by  the  discovery  of  our  aban- 
doned baggage  ;  they  dreaded  lest  the  next  turn  should  disclose 
the  starvinor  remnants  of  our  column.  The  relief  did  not  fall  in 
with  them  a  moment  too  soon. 

Our  whole  strength  reassembled  at  Khagan,  with  hearty  con- 
gratulations at  our  reunion.  From  there  we  descended  in  four 
days  to  Sadiya.  Everywhere  our  welcome  was  cordial.  The 
English  Political  Agent  at  the  latter  place,  to  whom  w^e  had  notified 

34S 


KHAMTI   TO   INDIA 


our  coming  by  courier  from  Bishi,  had  issued  orders  that  every 
possible  faciHty  should  be  given  us,  and  himself  kindly  sent  us 
a  most  acceptable  present  of  preserves. 

On  the  2ist  (December)  we  found  elephants  awaiting  us,  pro- 
vided bv  the  same  gentleman's  forethought ;  and  for  the  first  time 
for  months  we  were  able  to  spare  our  own  legs  and  smoke  our 
pipes  in  luxury. 

The  intermediate 
villages  were  mainlv 
Singpho,  and  a  few 
Thai,  the  latter  easily 
recoenisable  from  their 
religious  posts  in  shape 
like  elliptical  roofed 
houses,  such  as  we  had 
already  seen  in  Khamti. 
The  scenery  much  re- 
sembled that  of  Laos  ; 
dwellings  appeared 
amid  palms  and  plan- 
tains. Between  the 
villaofes     we     traversed 

o 

extensive  woods  and 
paddy-fields,  where  the 
starried  buffaloes  wheeled  into  line  of  battle  as  we  passed.  We  cer- 
tainly formed  a  queer  troop.  At  the  head  we  rode  on  elephants,  and 
behind  us  wound  our  porters,  their  grey  tchaupas  contrasting  with 
the  brighter  garments  of  the  Singphos  in  the  sun.  We  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  string  of  prisoners  or  a  procession  of  penitents. 
Nam's  behaviour  at   this  time  was  that  of  a   litde  child  ;    he  was 

349 


Singphos. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


continually  stopping  to  smoke  pipes  with  the  villagers  and  getting 
lost.  It  was  a  wonder  he  was  not  left  behind.  At  the  Iara:e  village 
of  Ninglou  we  were  received  by  the  white-bearded  chief,  who,  with 
his  son,  was  clad  in  Chinese  robes  of  gorgeous  silk,  with  a  gold 
dragon  embroidered  on  the  front.     This  venerable  personage  was 

a  Singpho  of  im- 
portance ;  three  men 
behind  him  bore  a 
white  umbrella  and 
two  red  banners. 
He  presented  a  letter 
to  us  from  Mr.  Need- 
ham  at  Sadiya.  It 
was  a  pleasure  to 
me  to  remark  several 
Indians  at  Ninglou. 
After  a  year  spent 
among  the  peoples  of 
the  Mongol  race, 
these  Aryans,  with 
their  lively  eyes, 
profiles,  and  beards 
like  our  own,  seemed 
almost  brothers ;  as 
indeed     the     Indians 


w 


.Singph'p  Wnni.-in. 


are,   elder  brothers.      Joseph's   delight,   too,   at   seeing   a   real   shop 
again  and  comparing  its  prices  with  those  of  Tali,   was  amusing. 

On  the  24th  (December)  Rou.x  and  I  descended  the  remaining 
reaches  of  the  Nam-Dihing  for  some  hours  in  a  pirogue  to  the 
Brahmaputra,    which    at    this    point  was    100    yards    to    200    yards 

350 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

wide,  with  a  slow  current.  In  the  west  and  north-west  we  per- 
ceived the  distant  ranges  behind  which  lies  an  unexplored 
territory,  the  Tsangpo  valley.  In  the  course  of  the  afternoon 
we  disembarked  at  Sadiya,  where  hearty  greetings  were  exchanged 
with   Mr.   Needham. 

Sadiya  is  the  extreme  north-east  outpost  of  the  British  Indian 
Empire.  Mr.  Needham's  position  is  that  of  Assistant  to  the  Political 
Service,  and  he  is  in  supreme  and  sole  charge.  He  has  passed 
twenty-eight  years  in  India,  and  exercises  the  functions  of  Resident, 
judge,  and  commandant  of  the  troops,  of  whom  there  are  one 
hundred  under  native  officers.  Another  five  hundred  sepoys  could 
be  summoned  by  telegraph  within  twelve  hours,  should  emergency 
arise.  In  addition  to  the  importance  involved  by  his  relations 
with  the  frontier  tribes,  he  governs  in  and  around  Sadiva  more 
than  sixty  thousand  people.  After  twenty  -  eight  years  passed 
in  India,  thirteen  of  which  have  been  spent  in  the  district,  he 
speaks,  besides  Hindustani, — Bengali,  Thai  (of  which  he  has 
compiled  a  Grammar),  Singpho,  Assamese,  Abor  (also  with  a 
Grammar  in  preparation),  and  Mishmi.  What  an  e.xample  to 
France  of  the  right  man  in  the  right  place !  and  what  a  simpli- 
fication of  the  world  of  vice-rdsidents,  commis  de  rdsidence,  and 
chanceliers  all  engaged  in  manipulating  the  papers  which  we  deem 
indispensable  to  the  administration  of  a  province.  Here,  one  hand 
controls  the  whole.  It  is  true  that  he  is  well  paid,  and  that 
after  thirty  years'  service  he  will  be  entitled  to  a  pension.  He 
submits  his  claim  for  travelling  expenses,  and  it  is  discharged 
to  him  direct.  There  is  none  of  that  system  of  mistrust  to  which 
we  are  too  prone.  The  English  place  implicit  confidence  in  the 
zeal  of  their  officers  to  work  their  hardest  for  the  interests  of 
their  empire. 

351 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

The  pacification  of  Upper  Assam  has  not  been  an  easy 
undertaking'.  For  many  years  the  EngUsh  have  had  to  main- 
tain frequent  feuds  with  the  Khamtis  and  the  Singphos.  At 
present  the  country  is  fairly  quiet.  The  Singphos  have  been 
allowed  their  independence  under  a  chief,  who  reports  to  the 
Imperial  Government  the  movements  and  intentions  of  the  neigh- 
bouring tribesmen.  In  return  he  receives  a  subsidy.  It  was 
he  whom  we  saw  at  Ninglou.  His  subjects  pay  no  taxes  to 
the  English,  but  they  are  sometimes  employed  as  coolies  on  such 
public  works  as  the  making  of  a  road  or  a  railway. 

To  the  north  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  through  which  the 
Tsangpo  and  the  Lohit  or  Dzayul  rivers  fret  their  way  by 
narrow  gorges,  are  infested  by  tribes  which,  although  adjacent, 
differ  from  each  other  both  in  speech  and  customs.  This  aggre- 
gation of  little -known  and  inaccessible  peoples,  always  wild  and 
generally  fierce,  constitutes  a  regular  Babel.  Whence  they  came  ; 
how,  having  pitched  on  the  southern  flank  of  the  Himalayas 
overlooking  India,  they  have  yet  preserved  their  individual  dis- 
tinctions ;  and  why,  if  they  are  of  a  common  stock,  they  are  so 
dissimilar,  are  problems  still   unsolved. 

Among  these  populations  the  most  important  is  that  of  the 
Abors,  who  occupy  the  hills  to  the  north  and  north-west  of 
Sadiya.  Their  name  for  themselves  is  Pandam.  Ne-xt  to  them 
come  the  Miris,  who  in  successive  raids  burned  three  villages  in 
the  plain.  The  Abors  having  killed  some  native  soldiers  in  an 
ambuscade,  a  punitive  expedition  was  recently  sent  against  them, 
and  encountered  great  physical  difficulties.  Mr.  Needham  described 
them  as  having  no  chief,  and  as  making  slaves.  Their  villages 
are  larce  collections  of  from  seven  hundred  to  a  thousand 
dwellings.       They   invariably  put   all   prisoners   to   the   sword,    and 

352 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

strip  the  dead.  In  the  late  operations  the  troops  had  to  escalade 
abattis  i,8oo  yards  long  formed  of  stones  and  trunks  of  trees. 
Seven  or  eight  villages  were  burnt,  their  cattle  slain,  and  their 
cultivation  trampled  by  elephants.  In  this  way  the  English  make 
their  power  felt.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  the  Abors  were  blockaded 
in  their  valleys,  and  forbidden  to  sell  anything  in  the  plain  on  pain 
of  death.  We,  however,  had  a  sight  of  a  few  who  had  been 
allowed  to  come  down  and  tender  their  submission  to  the  Govern- 
ment with  offerings  of  the  large  short-horned  black  cattle  called 
gayals.  They  had  olive  complexions,  straight-set  eyes,  nose  and 
mouth  large.  From  their  habit  of  shaving  the  crown  of  the  head, 
they  looked  at  a  distance  as  if  they  had  caps.  They  wore  a  short- 
sleeved  red  garment  and  small  loin  cloth.  Some  Mishmis  whom 
we  also  saw  at  Sadiya  had  small  conical  hats  of  plaited  bamboo. 
We  were  shown  some  of  their  earthen  vessels,  which  seemed  to 
corroborate  the  account  of  the  pandits  of  parts  of  Thibet  where 
stone  utensils  are  in  vogue. 

During  our  three  days'  stay  at  Sadiya,  Mr.  Needham  drove 
us  round  the  neighbourhood.  A  loaded  Winchester  and  a  revolver 
were  advisable  to  guard  against  ambushes,  which  are  frequent. 
It  is  by  clearing  the  bush,  the  gradual  making  of  roads,  and 
the  establishment  of  small  blockhouses  with  patrols  between  them, 
that  little  by  little  the  settlement  of  the  district  is  being  effected. 

From  Sadiya  the  descent  to  Calcutta  is  easy.  A  few  hours  of 
pirogue  to  Talap,  and  thence  by  rail  to  Dibrugarh.  As  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach  the  country  was  covered  with  tea  plantations. 

From    the    official    statistics    of   tea  culture  in  Assam  for   1894 

we  took  the  following  figures: — Acres  under    cultivation,   268,796  ; 

number    of    gardens,    823  ;    permanent    labourers    and    overseers, 

331,807  ;    temporary  ditto,    98,043.        Picking,    approx.,   94,829,059 

z  353 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

lbs.  In  Calcutta  the  pound  fetches  on  an  average  from  seven 
to  eleven  annas.  We  visited  a  garden  at  Tala|  The  tea  is  not 
planted  on  the  hills  but  well  in  the  plain,  on  round  cleared  but 
not  manured,  with  intervals  of  4  or  5  feet  between  the  bushes. 
Two  coolies  are  enough  to  an  acre.  When  the  leaves  have 
been  picked,  in  March  and  September,  the  plant  is  cut  back  to 
within  6  inches  of  the  ground.  The  best  seasons  yield  900  lbs. 
an  acre  per  annum  ;  the  tea  begins  to  pay  after  three  or  four 
years.  The  plantation  at  Talap  was  of  1,350  acres,  and  the 
usual  number  of  plants  is   2,700  on  an  acre. 

In  the  centre  of  the  plantation  are  the  coolie  villages,  the 
large  two-storeyed  bungalows  of  the  Europeans,  and  the  build- 
ings where  the  leaf  is  prepared.  These  houses  are  often  as 
much  as  130  feet  long,  built  of  bricks,  with  corrugated  zinc  roofs. 
In  some  is  the  steam  machinery,  and  in  others  the  drying 
process  is  carried  on. 

The  prosperity  of  the  tea  plantations  of  Assam  is  due  not 
only  to  the  spirit  of  enterprise  in  those  who  made  them,  but 
also  in  a  large  measure  to  the  labour  regulations.  The  coolies 
are  recruited  in  Bengal,  whence  the  journey  of  each  one  costs  a 
hundred  and  fifty  rupees  ;  and  they  engage  of  their  own  free  will  for 
a  term  of  three  years.  Should  anyone  during  that  time  desert, 
and  be  captured,  he  is  first  imprisoned  and  then  handed  over  to 
his  master.  Escape  is  not  easy,  for  to  stay  in  Hindu  Assam  is  to 
be  retaken,  and  to  seek  refuge  with  the  Singphos  or  the  hill 
tribes  is  to  be  enslaved.  The  intervention  of  the  Government, 
which  we  should  call  forfeit  for  breach  of  contract,  secures  the 
employer.  "  If  we  had  not  this  safeguard  against  any  who 
chose  to  break  their  agreement,"  said  an  overseer  to  me,  "we 
could   not  risk  the  capital   which  we  put  into  the  plantation." 

354 


KHAMTI  TO  INDIA 

Of  course,  when  recruiting,  the  usual  attractions  are  held 
out  to  the  men, — healthy  country,  plenty  to  eat,  nothing  to  do. 
These  enticements  are  no  more  than  the  baits  employed  for 
the  enlistment  of  soldiers  or  sailors. 

If  the  employers  can  count  on  the  support  of  the  Government 
to  ensure  the  conditions  of  their  labour,  the  men  on  their  side 
can  also  claim  the  protection  of  the  same  power.  Twice  a  year 
the  plantations  are  visited  by  official  inspectors,  who  inquire 
into  the  treatment  of  the  coolies,  see  that  they  are  properly 
housed,  and  that  hospitals  are  provided  for  the  sick  and  schools 
for  the  children.  It  is  this  direct  interposition  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Queen  to  which  Assam  owes  the  opulence  and  air 
of  thriving  vigour  which  I  envy  for  our  own  colonies.  In 
Annam,  as  I  have  said,  we  possess  splendid  land  well  suited 
for  the  culture  of  tea.  The  French  colonist  ought  similarly  to 
be  able  to  look  for  the  help  or  at  least  the  non-hostility  of  his 
Government  in  his  efforts  to  achieve  fortune. 

From  Dibrugarh  we  descended  the  Brahmaputra  by  steamer. 
The  service  is  a  daily  one,  and  the  boats  e.xcellent.  Along  the 
river  banks  torpid  crocodiles  basked  on  sandy  bars,  and  offered 
tempting  shots  for  our  carbines.  After  the  tea  country  came 
the  fine  plain  of  Assam,  with  frequent  towns — Tespour,  Gauhati, 
Goalapura ;  at  each  numerous  steamers  lined  the  bank.  On 
all  sides  were  proofs  of  wealth,  power,  strength,  and  success. 
At  the  stopping-places  we  usually  went  ashore  to  stretch  our 
legs,  see  the  market,  or  loiter  before  the  shops,  where  to  our 
unaccustomed  eyes  all  seemed  fresh.  On  such  occasions  our 
men  would  follow  us  about,  exclaiming  at  each  step,  like  school- 
boys. And  right  well  had  they  earned  their  holiday,  after  the 
life  they  had  led  and  the  trials  they  had  gone    through,    and    the 

355 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 

manner  in  which  they  had  given  us  their  entire  trust  and 
devotion  without  a  murmur.  This  was  paradise  to  them,  and 
they  plied  us  with  astonished  questions.  Like  ourselves,  they 
were  struck  by  the  prosperity  of  the  country.  We  told  them 
how  the  "'  Inqtiij'ens"  (English)  had  only  been  in  Assam  for 
fifty  years  ;  but  to  attempt  an  e.xplanation  of  the  reasons  for 
their  welfare  to  a  Thibetan  comprehension  was  too  complicated. 
Moreover,  in  the  colonial  spirit  of  our  rivals  there  is  not  a  little 
affinity  to  the  commercial  side  of  the  Chinese. 

As  I  admire  the  work  of  the  English,  I  look  round  upon 
ourselves,  and  think  of  what  is  wanting  to  make  our  colonies 
prosperous  like  theirs.  It  is  continuity  of  policy;  it  is  the 
grand  freedom  of  the  colonist,  backed  up  by  his  Government  ;  it 
is  a  simplicity  of  administration  in  the  hands  of  able  men  who 
know  their  way  and  take  it. 

There  is  no  use  in  hiding  one's  head  ostrich-like  under  a 
stone.  It  is  better  to  look  the  truth  in  the  face.  In  no  set 
of  circumstances  has  'yvSidt  aeavrov  more  significance  than  in 
colonial  affairs,   in  which  it  behoves  us  to  take  a  lesson. 

And  all  the  while  that  I  am  making  these  reflections  and 
comparisons  1  cannot  dispossess  my  mind  of  the  thought  that 
the  whole  of  this  rich  expanse  ought  to  have  been  ours. 

"  '  Inquijen'  preliendunt  donas  terras/"  cried  Joseph  as  we 
descended  into  the  plains  of  Assam.  Yes  ;  the  English  have 
taken  India,  and  we  let  them  do  it.  The  ineptness  and  ignor- 
ance of  a  monarch  with  ill  counsellors  allowed  our  rivals  to 
win  an  empire  whose  foundations  were  laid  by  a  few  resolute 
Frenchmen.  Yet,  if  there  is  any  consolation  to  be  derived  under 
the  loss  of  one  of  our  children,  it  is  that  of  seeing  it  grown  into 
a   strono-   man,    and    of   knowing    that    to  make  it  so  its  guardians 

356 


KHAMTI  TO   INDIA 

followed  the  lines  of  its  first  instructor.  Over  India  the  mighty 
shade  of  Dupleix  ever  watches.  Though  the  patriot  died  in  his 
own  country,  poor,  unknown,  and  deserted,  his  memory  lives. 
No  one  knew  better  how  to  render  justice  to  the  generous  and 
wide-reaching  schemes  of  Dupleix  than  his  greatest  antagonist, 
Clive.  It  is  with  the  same  perception  that  Colonel  Malleson 
has  written  {His/,  oj  the  French  in  India)  : — "  If,  in  the 
present  day,  there  exist  among  her  citizens  regrets  at  the  loss 
of  an  empire  so  vast,  so  powerful,  so  important,  ...  it  will 
be  impossible  for  France  herself  ...  to  suppress  a  glow  of 
pride  at  the  recollection  that  it  was  a  child  of  her  soil  who  dared 
first  to  aspire  to  that  great  dominion,  and  that  by  means  of  the 
impulse  which  he  gave,  though  followed  out  by  his  rivals, 
the  inhabitants  of  Hindostan  have  become  permanently  united 
to  their  long-parted  kinsmen — the  members  of  the  great  family 
of  Europe." 


^f%Mj^ 


Tliibetan  Dwelling. 

357 


APPENDICES 


APPENDIX    A 


LIST    AND    DISCUSSION    OF   SCIENTIFIC    OBSERVATIONS 

TAKEN   AND   CALCULATED   BY 

M.    EMILE    ROUX 

Enseigne  de  Vaisseau 


I.    LATITUDES 


Numerical 
Order. 

Name  and  Position  of  Place  of 
Observation. 

Latitude. 

Method  Employed. 

I 

Pho-lu,   Red  River  (Upper 
Tonkin),  near  the  post 

22'  21' 30" 

Pole  Star  (Theodolite). 

2 

Maiihao,  Red  River  (Yiin- 

23°  °°'  45" 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

nan),  market  by  river-side 

sun  (Sextant). 

2  bis. 

Matihao,  Red  River  (Yiin- 

23°  00'  15" 

Two     groups     of    circum- 

nan),  market  by  river-side 

Mean    adopted 

meridian  altitudes  of  the 

for  Manhao  : 

sun  (Theodolite). 

23°  00'  30" 

3 

Mongtse  (Yiinnan),  court  of 

23°  20'  15" 

I   Circummeridian  altitude 

the  French  Consulate  at 

of  sun  (Theodolite). 

i'  2"  S.  of  the  centre  of 

Result  uncertain  ;  the  theo- 

the town 

dolite  being  insufficiently 
rectified. 

3  bis. 

Mongtse  (Yiinnan),  court  of 

23°  21' 

Pole      Star      (Theodolite). 

the   French  Consulate  at 

Direct    measurement    by 

i'  2"  S.  of  the  centre  of 

sun. 

the  town 

3  ter- 

Mongtse  (Yiinnan),  court  of 

23°  21'  55 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

the   French  Consulate  at 

Adopted       for 

sun   Theodolite). 

i'  2"  S.  of  the  centre  of 

Mongtse:  23° 

the  town 

21'  30",  mean 
between  3  bis. 
and  3  ter. 

4 

Fong-Clun-Lin  (\unnan) 

23°  4' 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

5 

Oua-Kouitse/i  ( \'  11  nnan) 

23°  7' 

Meridian  altitude  of  sun 
(Sextant). 

6 

Tamatolo  (Yunnan) 

23°  10' 

Meridian  attitude  of  sun 
(Sextant). 

361 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Numerical 
Order. 


Name  and  Position  of  Place  of 
Observation . 


10 
1 1 
12 
'3 

14 

14  bis. 

'5 
16 

17 


18 


19 


Ta-Min-Mi,  Red  River 
(Yiinnan) 

Mai-Cheu  (Yi.innan) 

ha,  above  the  Red  River 
(right  bank)  (Yunnan), 
camping  ground  on  mound 
to  \\ .  of  town 

Souto  (Yunnan) 

Sou-  Tchou-Sai  ( Yiinnan) 
Sama  (Yiinnan) 

Point  on  the  Black  River 
(Ly-sien-kiang),  at  inter- 
section of  route  from  Isa 
to  Muong-Le 

Muong-Le  (Yunnan),  centre 
of  town 

Muong-Le  (Yiinnan),  centre 
of  town 


Ta-Koue-Lin  (Yiinnan) 

Im-Pou-Tsin  (\'iinnan) 

Ssuinao  or  Setnao  (Yiinnan), 
court  of  the  inn  Ou-shing- 
hao 


Kotchiento  (Yiinnan),  to  E. 
of  Ta-lotsin  chain 

Tian-Pi,  point  where  the 
Mekong  is  intersected  by 
the  route  from  Semao  to 
Dayakeu  (Yiinnan) 

iVampe,  point  where  the 
Mekong  is  intersected  by 
the  route  from  Chuen-lo 
to  Mong-pan  (Yiinnan) 

Alang-Kai  (\'unnan) 


Latitude 


23     II 

23°  is;  30" 
23°  22' 


23  19  30 

23°  9'  30" 
22°  57' 
22°  49' 

22°  35'  20" 


22  35 

Mean    adopted 
for  Muong-Le: 
22°  35'  10" 

22°  it;  30" 

22°   37'  45" 

22°  46'  07 
22°  46'  47" 

22°  45'   5°" 

Mean    adopted 

for  Semao  : 
22°  46'  30" 
22°  39'  25" 


22"  37 


23    °o    45 


23    13  41 
23°  13'  17" 
Mean   adopted 

23°  '3'  30" 
^62 


Method   Employed. 


By  deduction  from  the  lati- 
tude of  Tamatolo.  See 
note. 

Meridian  altitude  (Sextant). 

Pole  Star  (Theodolite). 
Direct  measurement  by 
Sirius. 

By  deduction  from  the  lati- 
tude of  Isa. 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 


Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

sun    (Theodolite).       28th 

March. 
Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

sun     (Theodolite).     29th 

March. 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

6  Circummeridian  altitudes 
of  sun  taken  2  by  2  (Theo- 
dolite). 


Pole      Star      (Theodolite). 

Direct    measurement    by 

Sirius. 
Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

sun  (Theodolite). 


Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 


Two  groups  of  Pole  Star 
altitudes  (Theodolite). 
Direct  measurement  by 
Venus. 


APPENDIX  A 


Numerical 
Order. 

Name  and  Position  of  Place  of              Latitude 
Obser\-ation. 

^^ethod  Employed. 

22 

Mong  Ka  (Viinnan) 

23°  25' 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

1 

sun  (Theodolite). 

23 

Mienning   (Yiinnan),  court     23°  53'  45" 

Pole      Star      (Theodolite).  ; 

of    the    inn     lang-Ching, 

Direct    measurement    by 

suburb  E.  of  town 

moon. 

24 

Tcheya  (Yunnan) 

24'  12'  45" 

Pole      Star      (Theodolite).  ' 
Direct    measurement    by 
Venus. 

25 

Yiinchou  (Yunnan),  court  of 

24'  25' 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

the  inn  Fou-tchi-tchou 

sun  (Theodolite). 

26 

Chunning-Fou  (Yiinnan) 

24°  34'  15" 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 
sun  (Theodolite). 

27 

Tsa-Fa-Se  (Yiinnan) 

25°  01'  30" 

I  Circummeridian  altitude  of 
sun  (Theodolite).  Direct 
measurement  by  sun. 

28 

Tali-Fou,     court     of     the 

25°  42'  30" 

Circummeridian  altitudes  of 

Catholic    Mission  in    the 

sun  (Theodolite). 

centre  of  town 

29 

Kiang-Pin  (Yiinnan) 

25°  59'  25" 

Pole  Star  (Theodolite). 
Direct  measurement  by 
the  Great  Bear. 

30 

Yun-Long-Cheou  (Yiinnan) 

25'  47'  15' 

Pole  Star  (Theodolite). 
Direct  measurement  by 
Sirius. 

31 

Pen-  Tchou-Miao,  near  Tche- 

25°  48'  15' 

Pole     Star      (Theodolite). 

lotsen  (Yunnan) 

Direct  measurement  by 
Venus. 

32 

Hekipa,    above    the    route 

26°  22'  30" 

Pole     Star      (Theodolite). 

from  the   Mekong  (Yiin- 

Direct   measurement    by 

nan) 

the  Great  Bear. 

The  two  instruments  used  for  determining  the  above  latitudes  were — 

(i)  A  HurUmann  sextant  graduated  to   10",  and 
(2)  A  Hurlimann  small  theodolite  graduated  to   i'. 

The  sextant  observations  are  subject  to  errors  of  centring,  both  constant  and 
variable,  amounting  in  the  best  instruments  to  i ' ;  so  that  the  readings  apparently 
true  to  lo"  are  not  absolute.  The  error  can  only  be  partially  rectified  by  taking  the 
meridian  altitudes  of  two  stars,  one  to  the  north  and  the  other  to  the  south,  and 
adopting  the  mean  of  the  results.  This  proceeding,  however,  requires  both  time 
and  patience,  and  the  care  and  difficulty  attending  night  observations  with  the 
sextant  are  well  known. 

Moreover,  in  tropical  and  semi-tropical  countries  these  latter  methods  are  the 
only  ones  possible  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  From  the  8th  of  March 
I  was  obliged  to  discontinue  the  use  of  the  sextant  for  obtaining  latitudes  by 
observation  of  the  sun,  the  double  meridional  altitude  on  that  date  reaching  126', 
or  almost  the  extreme  limit  of  the  graduations.  From  latitude  23'  the  instrument 
became    unavailable    until  October,     .\dded   to    which    the   necessity  for    having    a 


FROM   TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


sufficient  cjuantity  of  mercury  for  the  artificial  horizon,  and  of  keeping  it  perfectly 
clean,  are  further  drawbacks  when  on  the  march.  For  the  foregoing  reasons,  I  soon 
gave  up  using  the  sextant  in  favour  of  the  theodolite.  Hy  land  the  latter  instrument 
is  far  handier,  and  quite  as  accurate.  By  always  taking  double  observations  of  the 
altitudes  — that  is  to  say,  with  the  telescope  on  the  right  and  again  on  the  left — 
the  errors  of  coilimation  and  level  are  eliminated  ;  and  as  it  is  easy  to  estimate  to 
i  and  even  to  ^  of  a  division,  one  can  count  on  being  correct  to  30". 

I  most  generally  emjjloyed  the  method  of  finding  the  latitude  by  two  circum 
meridian  altitudes  without  previous  calculation.  This  has  the  advantage  of  dispensing 
completely  with  the  knowledge  of  absolute  values,  and  it  is  sufficient  to  have  a 
good  watch  with  a  second  hand  to  mark  the  exact  interval  of  time  between  the 
two  observations,  which  may  be  taken,  immaterially,  either  before  or  after  noon. 
The  calculation  is  a  little  longer  than  that  of  latitude  deduced  from  meridian 
observation  ;  but  the  observation  is  easier  and  more  reliable,  the  greatest  advantage 
being  that  one  has  usually  from  twenty  minutes  to  forty  minutes  during  which  it  is 
possible  to  take  it,  instead  of  being  obliged  to  seize  a  precise  moment,  when,  as 
likely  as  not,  the  sun  may  be  covered  by  a  cloud. 

On  days  when  we  were  halted  I  have  sometimes  taken  a  single  circummeridian 
altitude,  but  on  these  occasions  it  was  imperative  to  know  exactly  the  error  of  the 
watch,  and  for  that  reason  to  take  the  observation  either  two  hours  before  or  two 
hours  after  midday.  From  all  points  of  view  this  method  is  inferior  to  the  other. 
Finally,  I  often  employed  the  pole  star,  obtaining  the  true  value  by  some  heavenly 
body  immediately  before  my  observation. 

All  my  altitudes  have  been  invariably  observed  in  the  following  manner : — Set 
the  telescope  so  that  the  sun  shall  be  either  a  little  above  or  below  the  observing 
wires  ;  then  begin  to  count,  taking  the  time  when  the  sun's  disc  is  tangent  to  the 
first  thread ;  observe  successively  the  time  of  passing  the  seven  threads  of  the 
eye-piece  ;  read  upper  and  lower  vernier :  this  reading  is  that  which  corresponds  to 
the  mean  of  the  times  noted.  If  the  observation  has  been  made  with  the  telescope 
on  the  right,  repeat  with  it  on  the  left,  and  take  the  mean.  Every  altitude  thus 
obtained  corresponds  in  reality  to  the  mean  of  a  series  of  7.  Those  which  differ  from 
the  mean,  and  which  therefore  are  useless,  can  be  struck  out.  When  obliged  to  count 
for  myself,  I  thought  it  enough  to  observe  the  passage  at  the  ist,  4th,  and  7th  threads. 
The  latitudes  obtained  by  the  theodolite  may  be  considered  as,  approximately, 
exact  to  30"  or  45"  ;  those  of  Ssumao,  Manhao,  Mongtse,  etc.,  being  the  mean  of 
two  or  three  groups  of  observations,  exact  to  1 5"  or  30 ".  Similarly,  those  obtained 
by  the  sextant  are  to  be  regarded  as  approximately  exact  to  i'  to  i'  30".  Both 
at  Tali-F'ou  and  at  Ssumao  I  was  able  to  compare  my  results  with  tho.se  of  Francis 
Gamier,  and  the  discrepancy  in  neither  case  amounted  to   i'. 

Latitudes  Nos.  7  and  10  were  deduced  from 
Nos.  6  and  9  by  the  subjoined  method,  common 
enough  in  mountainous  countries  : — 

Let  C  B  be  two  points,  visible  to  each  other, 
the  latitude  of  B  being  ascertained  by  observa- 
tion, and  its  altitude  known  by  barometric 
readings.  The  next  day  being  at  C,  and  the 
state  of  the  atmosphere  precluding  observation, 
the  latitude  of  C  may  be  deduced  from  fixing 
its  position  relatively  to  B. 

For  this  purpose  observe  the  altitude  of  C, 
and  take  by  theodolite  the  inclination  of  the  .slope  CB  : 

Let  H  =  altitude  of  B 
and  let  H'  =  altitude  of  C, 
then  in  the  triangle  ABC 
AB  =  AC  cot  a  =  (H'  -  H)  cot  a. 

364 


APPENDIX  A 


The  result  of  this  calculation  gives  the  horizontal  projection,  that  is  to  say,  the 
distance  on  the  map,  and  hence  the  latitude  of  C.  It  is  enough  that  the  difference 
of  position  of  the  two  points  should  be  sufficient  to  prevent  any  slight  intermediate 
barometric  change  producing  more  than  an  insignificant  effect  on  AB.  In  cases 
7  and  lo  these  differences  were  considerable,  amounting  to  3,136  feet  and 
1,394  feet  respectively. 

II.    DECLINATIONS 

The  declinations  were  obtained  with  the  compass-theodolite  with  additional 
piece.  Previous  observations  of  the  sun  had  given  its  azimuth,  and  consequently 
the  true  north.  The  mean  of  forty  readings  of  the  needle  (5  point  south  ;  5  point 
north  ;  needle  above,  telescope  on  the  right ;  id.,  needle  above,  telescope  on  the 
left ;  id.,  needle  below,  telescope  on  the  right  ;  id.,  needle  below,  telescope  on 
the  left)  gave  the  magnetic  north.  The  declinations  of  Tali-Fou  and  Ssumao  were 
obtained  by  eighty  readings,  forty  with  each  of  my  two  needles.  Their  error  wa.s 
from   ^o"  to   i'. 


Numerical 

Date. 

Name  and  Position  of  Place 

Magnetic 

Order. 

of  Observation. 

Declination. 

I 

1 1 

October 

1894 

Pnompenh  (Cambodia),   Resid- 
ency garden 

I  °  30'  50 "  E. 

2 

23 

)» 

)) 

Battaml'ang   (Siam),    court     of 
the  mission  .... 

i"  1 6'  10"  E. 

3 

3 

February 

1895 

Lang  Nhii  (between  Baoha  and 
Pho-lu,     Red    River,    Upper 
Tonkin)        .... 

i'  23'  15"  E. 

4 

1 1 

)' 

>) 

Manhao  (Red  River,  Yunnan). 

1°  23'  30"  E. 

5 

22 

J) 

J) 

Mongtse    (Yiinnan),     court    of 
French  Consulate 

r  18'  40"  E. 

6 

8 

March 

)i 

Tamatolo  (Yiinnan) . 

1  °  08'  40"  E. 

7 

8 

April 

f> 

Ssmnao  (Yunnan),   1093  yards 
south,    18A   m.   east    of   the 
inn  Ou-Shing-Hao 

i"  38'  40"  E. 

8 

19 

>) 

J) 

Ta-Chiii-Chong,  between  Tian- 
pi     on    the     Mekong     and 
Dayakeu  (Yunnan) 

I '  42'  10"  E. 

9 

29 

J) 

j» 

Mong-Ka  (Yiinnan) 

r  47'  40'  E. 

10 

13 

May 

jj 

Tcheya    (Yiinnan),    route    from 
Mienning  to  Yun-chou 

'    45'  30"  E. 

1 1 

23 

)» 

>» 

Tsa-Fa-Se,  road  from  Chunning- 
fou  to  Meng-  Huating  (Yiin- 
nan)      

I    36'  55'  E. 

12 

29 

It 

)» 

Tali-Fou,     court     of     mission 
(Yiinnan)     .... 

r  38'  30"  E. 

13 

25 

June 

»> 

Tche-lo-Tsen  (Yiinnan) 

1°  47'  30"  E- 

14 

>7 

July 

)) 

Hekipa,  above  the  right   bank 
of  the  Mekong  (Yunnan) 

1'  57'  30"  E. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  N.-E.  declinations  increased  almost  steadily 
in  proportion  as  we  advanced  in  a  north-westerly  direction.  It  was  only  near 
Muong-le  (Chinese  Laos)  that  minerals  were  in  sufficient  evidence  to  falsify 
completely   the   indications   of   the   needle.     There    I    found    three    declinations  so 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


utterly  at  variance  with  each  other  and  with  the  probable  result,  that  I  was  obliged 
to  reject  them  altogether.  On  every  other  occasion  constant  verifications  admitted 
of  my  placing  entire  reliance  upon  the  readings  of  the  compass. 

Being  actually  the  first  traveller  in  Viinnan  to  take  precise  declinations  (Francis 
(larnier  had  no  theodolite),  I  had  no  data  for  a  comparison  with  the  annual  increase 
or  decrease  of  magnetic  intensity  in  that  country.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  future 
•observations  made  at  the  same  points  for  several  years  may  supply  what  is  desirable. 

My  instruments  having  been  stolen  at  the  end  of  July  by  the  Lamasjen,  my 
astronomical  observations  ceased  from  that  date. 


III.    LONGITUDES 


Numerical 
Order. 

Date. 

Place  of  Observation. 

Longitude 
(E.  of  Paris). 

I 

2  April    1895 

Impuutstn  (route  from   Muong- 

le  to  Ssuniao) 

99°  24' 

2 

6       „         ., 

Ssiimao  (court   of  the  inn  Ou- 

Shing-Hao) .... 

98°  47'  3°" 

3 

27 

Ma/ig-Kai  (route  from   Mong- 

Pan  to  Mong-Ka) 

98°  4 

4 

30  May 

Tali-t'ou  (court  of  the  Catholic 

Mission)       .... 

97'  59' 

5 

25  June 

Pagoda     Pentchou-Miao,     near 
Tche-lo-tsen      (route      from 
Vunlong-Chou    to    the    Me- 

kong) .          . 

97°  14' 

6 

26 

Fey-Long-Kiao  (on  the  bank  of 

the  Mekong) 

97°  6' 

The  longitude  of  Fey-Long-Kiao  was  the  last  observed,  owing,  as  above,  to  the 
loss  of  my  theodolite. 

Insti-umeiit  and  Method  Employed. — The  foregoing  longitudes  were  obtained  by 
the  use  of  the  small  Hurlimann  theodolite  graduated  to  1'.  For  their  determina- 
tion I  used  the  method  of  equal  altitudes  of  moon  and  stars  ably  set  forth  by 
M.  Caspari,  ingenieur  hydrographe  de  la  marine,  in  the  second  part  of  his 
Coiirs  d'astroitoiiite  pratique  (Paris,  Gauthier-X'illars,  p.  155).  The  principle  of  this 
system  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  of  the  method  of  lunar  altitudes  :  but  errors 
of  refraction,  reading,  and  graduation  are  allowed  for  in  the  following  manner  : — 

Fix  the  telescope  of  the  theodolite  at  a  certain  height,  which  it  is  not  necessary 
to  know  exactly.  Choose  a  star,  for  purposes  of  comparison,  as  near  as  possible 
to  the  moon's  trajectory,  and  note  the  time  at  which  the  foremost  of  the  two 
bodies,  in  the  direction  of  the  diurnal  motion,  pa.sses  beneath  the  horizontal  thread. 
Then  displacing  the  telescope  in  azimuth,  without  altering  its  height,  await  the  transit 
of  the  second  body,  and  again  note  the  time.  At  each  of  such  junctures  ob.serve  the 
level,  to  check  the  stability  or  variations  of  inclination  of  the  axis  of  the  telescope. 

As  shown  by  the  formute  of  M.  Caspari,  the  refractions,  which  owing  to  the 
proximity  of  the  two  bodies  may  be  considered  as  identical,  do  not  appear  in  the 
calculation ;  the  absolute  altitudes  being  immaterial,  the  errors  of  graduation  are 
removed  ;  and  it  is  enough  to  observe  one  side  of  the  axis  only,  whether  with  the 
telescope  on  the  right  or  on  the  left.  Immediately  before  or  after,  the  local  time 
should  be  ascertained. 

In  the  case  where  the  two  bodies  are  near  meridian   passage,  the   observations 

366 


APPENDIX  A 


of  azimuth  may  be  substituted  for  those  of  altitude.  The  former  was  the  method 
adopted  in  determining  the  longitude  of  Ssumao. 

This  proceeding  is,  on  the  whole,  the  best  that  can  be  followed  in  exploration, 
next  to  that  of  occultations,  which  necessitate  the  carrying  of  a  powerful  telescope. 
It  is  superior  to  those  of  lunar  altitudes  and  lunar  distances  by  the  sextant,  as  the 
value  of  the  latter  depends  upon  taking  several  series  east  and  west  to  eliminate 
the  error  of  centring  Nevertheless,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  every  error  of 
observation  being  multiplied  by  thirty  in  the  result,  an  approximation  only  of  from 
7'  to  10'  can  be  counted  on  with  the  small  theodolite  at  my  disposal.  With  a 
large  theodolite  repeater  M.  Caspari  was  able  to  obtain  an  approximation  of  2', 
but  such  a  result  can  only  be  regarded  as  exceptional. 

This  want  of  precision  being  recognised,  I  was  unable  to  bring  to  bear  the 
same  exactness  of  correction  on  my  longitudes  as  on  my  latitudes.  I  can,  however, 
affirm  that  each  point  entered  in  the  foregoing  list  lies  within  a  settled  zone  of 
between  15'  and  20'  in  breadth.  It  is  important,  while  bearing  in  mind  the  vast 
tracts  of  wholly  unexplored  country  involved,  to  admit  a  certain,  even  if  exaggerated, 
margin  for  error.  This  importance  naturally  decreases  in  proportion  as  the  divergence 
in  the  observations  diminishes,  and  disappears  if  it  is  a  matter  of  correcting  a 
march  of  a  few  days  only. 

By  a  systematic  comparison  of  my  estimated  with  my  observed  latitudes,  I  can 
show  the  amount  of  reliance  to  be  placed  on  my  reckoning.  In  a  period  of 
travel  extending  over  two  months  the  error  never  amounted  to  more  than 
between  7'  and  10'.  As  Francis  Gamier  based  all  his  longitudes  on  observations 
of  lunar  distances  with  the  sextant,  their  approximation  is  not  closer.  For  the 
positions  of  Tali  and  Ssumao,  the  two  fundamental  points  of  my  map,  through 
which  places  he  also  passed,  I  have  therefore  judged  it  the  most  reasonable 
process  to  take  the  mean  between  our  respective  observed  longitudes,  using  my 
value  for  error  in  the  estimated  longitudes. 

From  all  which  deliberations  I  am  in  a  position  to  assume  that  the  error  in 
the  longitudes  of  my  map  does  not  exceed  4'  to  5' — at  any  rate  as  far  as  Tali-Fou. 
After  the  loss  of  my  theodolite  I  had  to  rely  on  my  estimation  ;  yet,  on  comparing 
my  journey  with  that  of  Captain  Gill  to  Atentse,  and  with  the  geodesic  survey  of 
India,  I  was  able  on  arrival  in  Assam  to  check  my  calculations,  and  to  correct  the 
intermediate  points  in  proportion.  When  we  reached  Khamti,  after  three  months' 
travel  through  the  most  arduous  country,  I  was  only  6'  out  in  latitude  and  5'  in 
longitude  from  the  position  laid  down  by  Colonel  A\'oodthorpe.  Such  a  result, 
which  I  confess  surpassed  my  expectations,  shows  how  accurate  the  method  of 
estimation  can  be  made  with  great  care  and  some  experience.  I  should  add  that 
during  those  three  months  I  was  able  to  look  back  from  each  summit  to  others 
which  I  had  passed  a  week  or  a  fortnight  previously,  and  thus  had  several 
opportunities  of  checking  my  results. 

I  had  carried  with  me  two  of  those  chronometers  (Leroy)  known  in  the  navy 
under  the  name  of  torpedo-boat  watches,  but  I  soon  gave  up  using  them.  I 
found  that  in  a  rough  and  difficult  country,  where  falls,  immersions,  and  all 
manner  of  accidents  were  of  constant  occurrence,  it  was  next  to  impossible  to 
preserve  watches  from  sudden  shocks.  Further,  we  daily  experienced  changes  in 
temperature  of  as  much  as  20°,  which  disturbed  their  rate  of  going,  while  the 
practical  impossibility  of  making  sufficiently  long  and  frequent  halts  to  regulate 
them,  quickly  convinced  me  of  the  futility  of  attempting  to  determine  longitude  by 
the  passage  of  time. 

As  for  occultations,  I  confess  that  I  had  not  a  single  opportunity  of  observing 
one  under  favourable  conditions.  My  telescope  was  not  of  sufficient  power  to 
allow  me  to  observe  clearly  the  occultations  of  stars  of  the  fifth  and  seventh 
magnitude,  nor  did  the  atmospheric  state  e^•er  admit  a  chance  of  observing  those 
of  the  first  magnitude,  which,  as  is  well  known,  is  sufficiently  rare  elsewhere. 


567 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


IV.    ALTITUDES 


0 

.'\t  same  Date. 

i 

^.2 

rt 

C  c 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

0 
0 

s 

2 

a 
S 

c    . 

ii  it. 

OJ   c 

£.2 
n 

II 

1/ 

< 

1895. 

Feet. 

7  Feb. 

Bac  -  Sat     (Tonkin),      Red 

River      .... 

29,64 

64°. 40 

l°-^2, 

57''- 20 

22° 

368 

»J               J) 

Long  -  P6    (China  -  Tonkin 

frontier),  Red  River 

29.56 

68° 

)) 

») 

23° 

444 

»>               JJ 

Manhao      .... 

29.48 

7i°.6o 

») 

)1 

,, 

516 

18        „ 

Mongtse      .... 

25.70 

)5 

30.11 

66^20 

M 

4,509 

27        „ 

Highest   point    of    col    on 
route,  Mongtse  to  Long- 

choui-tieou 

24.05 

48°. 20 

)» 

69^80 

,, 

6,273 

28        „ 

Long-choui-tieou 

24.64 

S7°.20 

»T 

») 

»» 

5,676 

))                  H 

Highest    point     on     route, 
Long  -  choui  -  tieou     to 
Choui  -  Tien    (summit    of 

the  Cone  Chain)      . 

24- 1 3 

55°-40 

») 

)» 

I) 

6,227 

))                  )) 

Choui-Tien 

25.82 

66'. 20 

J) 

)5 

>) 

4,371 

3  March 

Sha-ha-te    .... 

25.27 

57".2o 

30.19 

59' 

,, 

4,95° 

4       », 

Passage  of  the  Mafong  Ho. 

27.00 

)) 

)5 

62'. 60 

7? 

3,120 

»)        )j 

Col    of  chain    between  the 
Mafong     Ho      and     the 

Chilipo  Ho     . 

25-31 

60  .80 

)) 

)» 

)» 

4,946 

>»        )» 

Foiig  Chen  Lin  . 

2594 

57°.2o 

30.00 

)) 

JT 

4,058 

5    » 

Highest    point    of    col    on 
route,    Fong    Chen    Lin 

to  Sin-Ka    '    . 

24.01 

68° 

)» 

jj 

,, 

6,290 

J)        15 

Col  near  Sin-Ka 

24.68 

6o°.8o 

)) 

)j 

•n 

5,490 

6       „ 

Ouong-chou-pe  . 

23.66 

62°. 60 

»1 

,, 

)5 

6,672 

7       >. 

Bottom    of    valley    of    the 

Yang-si  Ho     . 

26.25 

82° 

29.92 

68' 

T) 

3,765 

>J              JJ 

Highest     point     on    route, 

Poun-ka  to  'I'amatolo 

25.11 

68° 

)) 

J) 

)) 

5,059 

9 

Bank    of   Red    River    near 

Ou-pang 

28.93 

91° 

30.00 

66^20 

>t 

1,047 

J)               ») 

Sintchai      .... 

26.41 

68° 

J' 

J) 

T) 

3,367 

10       ,. 

Ou-mou  (banks  of  the  Ou- 

long  Ho) 

28.89 

82° 

29.92 

64°.4o 

)T 

1,063 

>j         >» 

Pin-ngantchai  (banks  of  the 

Ou-long  Ho)  . 

28.70 

73°-4o 

J» 

J) 

J3 

987 

i68 


APPENDIX  A 


, 

At  same  Date. 

0 

,-~.  d) 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

•s. 
c3 

~  0 

s  s 

1 

ZJ 

s 

"S 

3  t« 

"1 

=  E 

3 

^ 

i 

1^ 

ZJ   c 
P  c 

S« 

(S 

a. 

S 

s  s 

I 

895. 

Feet. 

II 

March 

Col  crossing  chain  between 
the  Ou-long  Ho  and  the 

Red  River       . 

26.81 

95° 

30.CO 

66''.2o 

23° 

3j278 

jj 

n 

Banks    of   the    Red    River 

near  Lou-ping 

28.77 

91' 

J) 

>> 

)J 

1,204 

12 

>) 

Col   between   Maicheu  and 

Toute     .... 

28.03 

JJ 

)) 

69°.8o 

JJ 

1.978 

13 

)) 

ha 

26.37 

8o°.6o 

29.84 

7S°.20 

JJ 

3j58i 

14 

J) 

Souto          .... 

25.00 

78°.8o 

29.80 

)) 

JJ 

5jo88 

15 

)) 

Long-ti       .... 

24.09 

68° 

29.88 

69°.  80 

JJ 

6j09S 

16 

)» 

Col    above    Long-ti    (route 

from  Tchimpou) 

23-38 

J) 

30.11 

6o°.8o 

JJ 

6,942 

)» 

>) 

Tayang-Ka 

24.80 

71°. 60 

J) 

?) 

JJ 

5j497 

17 

)» 

Highest     point    on     route, 

Tayang-ka  to  Tchekou    . 

23-58 

46°.40 

30.27 

50° 

JJ 

6,733 

J? 

»» 

Tchekou    .... 

24-25 

?> 

?J 

J) 

JJ 

6,053 

18 

JJ 

Col  crossing  chain  of  separa- 
tion   between    the     Red 

River  and  the  Nam-na     . 

23-38 

52° 

30-23 

53°-6o 

JJ 

7j073 

>J 

)j 

Banks  of  the  Nam-na  . 

24.80 

7i°.6o 

T) 

JJ 

JJ 

5.569 

19 

)) 

Chain  separating  the  Nam- 

na  from  the  Ni-lung  Ho  . 

23-70 

47° 

30.19 

64^.40 

J) 

6,666 

1) 

>j 

Passage     of     the      Ni-lung 

Ho         ...         . 

25-31 

68° 

?» 

J) 

JJ 

4.957 

20 

J) 

Col   in   the    chain   dividing 
the  Ni-lung  Ho  from  the 

t 

La-ka  Ho 

23.11 

57°-2o 

30-15 

66''.2o 

JJ 

7,445 

)J 

ij 

Passage  of  the  La-ka  Ho     . 

25-98 

68° 

>) 

yj 

» 

4,226 

22 

J) 

Col  between  the  La-ka  Ho 

and  the  Laniou  Ho 

24.96 

64°.4o 

30.  11 

60°. 80 

JJ 

5.278  \ 

5» 

J) 

Passage  of  the  Laniou  Ho  . 

26.73 

JJ 

)> 

)» 

JJ 

3.354  , 

)I 

JJ 

Col  between  the  Laniou  Ho 

and  the  Pa-san  Ho 

24.21 

62°. 60 

J> 

JJ 

„ 

6,125 

24 

J) 

;  Passage     of     the     Pa  -  san 

Ho          ...         . 

26.41 

78°.8o 

29.88 

68' 

JJ 

3.S4I 

25 

JJ 

Col  between  the  Pa-san  Ho 
and    the    Lysien    Kiang 

1 

(Black  River) . 

25-94 

8o°.6o 

29-92 

69^.80 

22° 

4,114 

»» 

JJ 

Passage  of  the  Black  River . 

28.03 

89°.6o 

JJ 

>> 

JJ 

1,890 

26 

JJ 

Tian-si        .... 

25-43 

7S°-2o 

29.88 

» 

JJ 

4,624 

2  A 


569 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


U 

At  same  Date. 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

1 

1 

Ic       1 

■§2 

sO 
E 

1 

3 

—  to 

V    C 

Is 

." 

HS 

1895. 

Feet. 

27  March 

Col  between  Tian-si  and  the 
Mote    Ho,   large  affluent 

of  Black  River 

24.48 

75°-2o 

29.88 

73°-40 

22* 

5.734 

»)        )) 

Passage  of  the  Mote  Ho     . 

26.10 

68' 

j» 

»» 

»» 

3-867 

28       „ 

Muong-Le  .... 

26.25 

75°-20 

30.07 

Sf'^o 

tt 

3.845 

3°       .. 

Col  between  Muong-Le  and 

Pi  ma  tchai     . 

25-70 

60° 

3019 

68'' 

»» 

4,486 

)t                )» 

Passage  of  the  Mote  Ho  or 

Mong-ie-tsin  Ho 

27.12 

75°-2o 

ij 

>» 

^* 

3.044 

I  April 

Ta-chai  (banks  of  the  Men- 

ling  Ho) 

26.22 

69° 

30.07 

)» 

)» 

3.902 

Col  crossing  the  chain  divid- 
ing the  basins  of  the  Red 

River  and  the  Mekong    . 

25-39 

if 

30.00 

7i°.6o 

23" 

4.799 

T)               J) 

Highest  point  on  route  Im- 

poutsin  to  Kale 

24.21 

64°. 40 

») 

»» 

n 

6,096 

3          n 

Near  Chen-Lao  (passage  of 

the  Cheun-long  Ho) 

26.69 

8o°.6o 

29.96 

73°-40 

„ 

3,344 

5          " 

Col  between  the  Cheun-long 

Ho  and  the  Man-lo  Kiang 

24.96 

86' 

29.80 

75"-2o 

»» 

3.867 

6       „ 

Ssumao       .... 

25-59 

84°.  20 

29.92 

78°.8o 

n 

4,568 

II 

1  Undulating     plateau      near 

i       Tchin-oue  (mean  altitude) 

'T 

73°-40 

30.1 1 

69°.8o 

4,667 

13       ,. 

1  Passage  of  the  Lan-gan  Ho 

26.57 

82°.40 

ji 

73°-4o 

i» 

3.630 

14 

Breach  in  Talo  Mts.    . 

25-39 

78°.8o 

30.00 

75°.2o 

>i 

4,825 

IS       ., 

Long-Tang 

26.37 

)j 

29.92 

7i°.6o 

») 

3,633 

16       „ 

Col  between  Long-Tang  and 

the  Long-Tang  Ho . 

26.06 

84°. 20 

)) 

if 

»» 

4.025 

11        >i 

Col  between  the  Long-Tang 

Ho  and  the  Tiou-fan  Ho 

25-27 

82°. 40 

t) 

.. 

5» 

4,911 

17       ,. 

Col    between    the   Tiou-fan 

Ho  and  the  Mekong 

25-03 

81° 

») 

8o".6o 

,, 

S,'97 

18       „ 

Bank    of    the    Mekong   at 

Tian-pi    .... 

27-55 

75°.2o 

29.96 

if 

)» 

2,419 

))                ») 

Ta  Choui-chong 

24-33 

Sq''.6o 

30.00 

»» 

)) 

4,706 

19       „ 

Lapatchin  .... 

26.33 

73°-4o 

29.96 

»» 

24 

3.685 

23       -. 

Passage  of  the  Heu  Ho 

27-48 

78° 

29.88 

n 

J) 

2,441 

))        J) 

Lalichin      .... 

25-47 

82°.40 

» 

ij 

») 

4,648 

»                M 

Col   between    Lalichin    and 

Meng-pou 

24.40 

78°.8o 

») 

Ji 

II 

5,405 

370 


APPENDIX  A 


At  same  Date. 

I. 

8 
•0 

if 
'a 

^  to 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

a  c 

—'  ba 

s 

5 

So 

5§ 
1^ 

2 

< 

0 

""o 

OJ   c 

^    0 

S   0 

1)    rt 

0. 

1895- 

Feet. 

23  April 

Me/ig-Foit  .... 

25-19 

77° 

29.88 

77° 

24°        4,937 

24       .. 

Col  between  Meng-pou  and 

^ 

Chouen-lo 

24.21 

)j 

J> 

71°. 60 

6,059 

25 

Col  between  Chouen-lo  and 

the  Mekong    . 

24.17 

)) 

») 

68° 

JJ 

6,085 

)»                >J 

Bank  of  the   Mekong  near 

Nampe   .... 

27.44 

8o°.6o 

»J 

JJ 

JJ 

2,454 

26       „ 

Col   whence    the    plain    of 

Mong-Pan  came  in  view  . 

25.27 

7i''.6o 

29.92 

73°-4° 

JJ 

4,838 

)J                )) 

Mong-Pan  .... 

25.98 

75°-2o 

)) 

>J 

'> 

4,060 

27       >. 

Col  between  Mong-Pan  and 

the  Lan  Kiou  Ho    . 

24.96 

78°.8o 

29.96 

)J 

JJ 

5,273 

)»                >J 

Passage    of   the  Lan   Kiou 

Ho         ...         . 

25-59 

»J 

It 

5J 

J) 

4,555 

)>                »> 

Col  between  the  Lan  Kiou 

Ho  and  Mang  Kai  . 

24.60 

77° 

)? 

)J 

JJ 

5,52° 

28       „ 

Summit  of  plateau  between 

Mang  Kai  and  Mong-Ka 

24.72 

76° 

29.80 

78°.8o 

JJ 

5,411 

)>                J) 

Mong-Ka    .... 

26.33 

80°. 60 

)) 

)j 

JJ 

3,597 

30              " 

Col  between  Mong-Ka  and 

the  Mekong    . 

23-38 

73°-4o 

29.92 

8o°.6o 

11 

6,543 

I  May 

Bank    of    the    Mekong    at 

Tapong  .... 

27.36 

78°.8o 

JJ 

JJ 

JJ 

2,603 

)j     )) 

Col    between   the    Mekong 

and  the  Latung  Ho 

24-33 

72° 

JJ 

JJ 

,,     ■     5>76o 

J)     J) 

First  passage  of  the  Latung 

1 

Ho  near  Latung 

25-55 

73°- 40 

JJ 

JJ 

JJ 

4,571 

2     „ 

Touko        .... 

24.40 

75°.20 

29.88 

JJ 

JJ 

5,869 

J)     j> 

Col     between   Touko    and 

Pochan  .... 

23-34 

77° 

„ 

JJ 

J, 

7,172 

jj     )) 

Pochan        .... 

24.29 

>j 

JJ 

)j 

JJ 

6,020 

25  April 

Chouen-lo  .... 

25.86 

.. 

JJ 

6S° 

JJ 

4,137 

))        n 

Passage  of  the  Tatchio-tou 

Ho         ...         . 

24.88 

80^60 

)J 

JJ 

JJ 

5,242 

j>        >» 

Col  between  the  Tatchio-tou 

Ho  and  Tachin 

24-52 

)J 

JJ 

J) 

JJ 

5,692 

26    „ 

Col   between    Tachin    and 

Tiou-pou-fang 

23-3^^ 

73°-40 

29.92 

73°-40 

JJ 

7,086 

28    „ 

Passage  of  the  Sekiang  near 

the  Mekong    . 

23.42 

7  8°.  80 

29.80 

78°.8o 

JJ 

2,496 

0/ 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Dates. 


1895. 
29  April 

I  May 


3     ,. 

7     .. 


9 
10 
II 


14     ,, 


15  .. 

16  „ 

17  ., 

18  „ 


21 

» 

23 

}} 

» 

J» 

24 

)l 

Places  of  Observation. 


Col  Ijetween  the  Sekiang 
and  the  Tchen-chi  Ho     . 

Tamano      .... 

Col  between  Tamano  and 
the  district  of  Linguen 

Passage  of  the  Linguen  Ho 

Alienning   .... 

Col  crossing  the  chain  of 
separation  between  the 
Salwen  and  Mekong 
basins     .... 

Col  crossing  the  great  chain 
directly  overhanging  the 
Mekong 

Pan-tong-ka 

Ta-cheu-tou-kai  . 

Manto  (banks  of  the  Mong- 
ma  Ho) 

Tcheya  (banks  of  the  Mong- 
ma  Ho)  .... 

Col  between  the  sources  of 

the    Mong-ma    Ho    and 

Yiinchou 

Yiinchou     . 

Lotan 

Chuni!itis;-Fou 

Col  crossing  chain  whence 
the  Pe  Hsiao  Ho  de- 
scends   .... 

Bank  of  the  Mekong  (bridge 
of  the  Tilung  Kiang) 

Col  crossing  the  chain  which 
bounds  the  Mekong  on 
the  N 

Mon-tian-cho 

Col  in  the  chain  on  left  flank 
of  the  Yang-pi-kiang 

Passage  of  the  Kou-lo  Ho  . 

Col  in  the  chain  above  the 
plain  of  Meng-hua-ting     . 


o 
u 


P3 


23-5° 
24.17 

23.07 
24.56 

25-°7 


22.79 

22.40 

25-31 
24.68 

24.88 

24.60 


23-03 
26.10 
25.07 
24.48 


22.7  I 
26.37 

22.00 
25-55 

23.18 
24.60 

22.44 


o. 


At  same  Date. 


78°.8o 

77° 


70 


62°.6o 
75°.2o 
71°. 60 

73°-4° 


82°. 40 
84°.  20 
8o''.6o 
77° 


62°. 60 
78°.8o 


8o°.6o 
66°.2o 


s  s 

c 


78°.8o  '  29.88      75°.20 
73°.4o      29.92      8o°.6o 


30.00 


29.84 


29.92 
29.88 


29.96 
29.80 


29.71 
29.64 


b.  o 


si 


86° 


77" 
78°.8o 

75'-2o 
7i°.6o 
8o°.6o 


29.92        ;         71°. 60 

29.88      73°.40 


62°. 60 

78°.8o      29.76  j  8o°.6o 


29.92  I  68° 


24 


25 


Feet. 

6,952 
6,178 

7.531 
S.740 
5,207 


7,776 

8,262 
4,803 
5,565 

5,445 

5,549 


7,531 
3,834 
4,957 
5,584 


7,818 
3,604 

8,688 
4,443 

7,340 
5,549 

8,294 


372 


APPENDIX  A 


s 

At  same  Dale. 

H 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

'^  0 

rt 

if 

1 

3 

3 

5^  ^ 

j__   0 

eS 

oJ 

=0 

^  £ 

5  rt 

J 

< 

£ 

1"^ 

|< 

2  c 

1 

'ii 
0. 

s 

0 

P5 

a.  a> 

1895. 

Feet. 

25  May 

Ta  Chang  (plain  of  Meng- 

hua)        .... 

24.09 

78'.8o 

29.76 

69°.8o 

25° 

6,087 

26     „ 

Col     separating    plains     of 

Meng-hua  and  'rali-Fou  . 

21.88 

57°..2o 

29.60 

78°.8o 

»» 

8,589 

27     .. 

Tali-Foil    .... 

23-34 

69°.8o 

29.80 

75°-2o 

»» 

7,007 

18  June 

Col   between  Teng-chouan- 

cheou  and  Fong-Yu 

21. 8r 

68° 

29.88 

89°.6o 

J) 

9-150 

19     .. 

Col   between   Fong-Vu  and 

Kiang-pin 

20.59 

59° 

29.76 

») 

>» 

10,556 

21     „ 

Kiang-pin  .... 

23-54 

75''.2o 

29.80 

86° 

26° 

6,784 

)»        n 

Col    between    the    Yang-pi 

and  Kouang-pin 

21.41 

62°.6o 

79 

}J 

)) 

9.447 

«'5 

1)    0 

^   >-» 

i;  5  X 

22       „ 

Col     between     Kouang-pin 

l\ 

r-  5 
1^ 

and  the  Pi-kiang 

22.08 

68° 

29.80 

82°.40 

J» 

8,607 

23       » 

Yiin  Lottg  Cheoit 

24.64 

80°.  60 

29.71 

87°.8o 

„ 

5,504 

25       .. 

Col     between     Yiin     Long 

Cheou  and  the  Mekong  . 

21.41 

59° 

29.52 

86° 

1) 

9,213 

)J                 J» 

Bank  of  the  Mekong  at  Fey- 

long-kiao 

25.66 

75°.2o 

)) 

J) 

)) 

4,082 

27       ,. 

Col  in  the  chain  of  separa- 
tion between  the  Mekong 

and  Salwen  basins  . 

20.98 

55°-40 

29.71 

84°.2o 

)i 

9.937 

30       .. 

Bank    of    the     .Salwen    at 

Loukou  Lotsolo 

26.77 

84°.  20 

29.56 

89°.6o 

)) 

2,872 

8  July 

Lotsolo       .... 

24.01 

71°. 60 

29.80 

82°.4o 

>» 

6,250 

12     „ 

Col  in  the  chain  of  separa- 
tion between  the  Mekong 

and  Salwen  basins  . 

19.21 

66°.2o 

29.76 

86° 

)) 

11,823 

14     ,, 

Bank    of    the    Mekong    at 

Piaotsen 

25-31 

68° 

)J 

89°.6o 

»» 

4,703 

15     .. 

Tono          .... 

24.88 

77° 

29.71 

87°.8o 

»> 

5.216 

37. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


4J 

At  same  Date. 

0 

■a 

s 

•5  =■ 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

0) 

^l 
-% 

e(F; 
moy 
hai. 

Ti 

S 

■c 
s 

g 

0 

CI] 

m 

Temperature 
of  Ob 

Barometer 
Amoy  or  S 

Temperatur 

Mean  at  A 

Shang 

1 

< 

1895. 

Feet. 

17  July 

Hekipa 

22.75 

if 

29.68 

87°.8o 

26° 

7,821 

18     „ 

Tatsasu 

25.00 

fc2''.40 

j> 

») 

)) 

5,°54 

23     >. 

Ta  Hsiao  Chouan 

23-58 

78°.8o 

29.64 

82°.4o 

»» 

6,672 

24     .. 

Tsiten 

21.65 

75°-2o 

29.68 

84".  20 

)» 

8,818 

25     » 

Keuntinkien 

22.51 

if 

29.84 

86° 

J> 

8,225 

26     „ 

Feoutsen    . 

23-5° 

82°.4o 

29.80 

84°.20 

») 

6,961 

28.,, 

Tie  Ho      . 

23.70 

69°.8o 

29.71 

87  .80 

»> 

6,575 

30     .. 

In  Cliouan 

23.22 

if 

29.88 

86° 

27° 

7,348 

31     .. 

Sin-tchan-pin 

23-74 

84°.20 

J) 

» 

J) 

6,698 

' 

03 

.c'« 

B 

01  J= 

f,     ■ 

'J.    M 

qj  1= 

—  C 

5'^ 

II 
0 

I  Aug. 

Toti  .... 

23-54 

75°.2o 

1 

h2 

)> 

6,926 

29.88 

87°.8o 

2     ,, 

Tolo  .... 

23.97 

78°.8o 

29.84 

82°.40 

») 

6,382 

5    .. 

Bank   of  the  Mekong  neai 

Sianpin-chouan 

24.64 

77° 

29.68 

89°.6o 

)» 

5.456 

7    >. 

Lameti 

23-97 

8o°.6o 

29.71 

86° 

»J 

6,301 

8    „ 

Lometi 

24-52 

73°-4o 

29.68 

)J 

>) 

5,552 

9     .. 

Loza  .... 

23-5° 

75°.20 

29.60 

87°.8o 

)) 

6,740 

12     „ 

Lo  Kieou  (banks  of  Mekong 

24.29 

78°.8o 

29.80 

78°.8o 

)} 

5,941 

17     .. 

Banks  of  the  Mekong  nea 

Gocha    . 

24.17 

84°.  20 

29.76 

8o°.6o 

)> 

6,100 

J)            ») 

Dekou 

24.05 

69'.8o 

J) 

82°.4o 

)9 

6,155 

20     „ 

Tsekou 

23-85 

8o°.6o 

29.84 

86° 

28° 

6,559 

24     „ 

Gotra 

23.46 

75°.20 

29.64 

84°.20 

5> 

6,801 

26     „ 

Kiuchu 

20.90 

62°.6o 

29.80 

78°.8o 

»» 

10,135 

27     >, 

Atentsc 

20.27 

5i°-8o 

29.92 

86° 

J) 

1 1,060 

28     „ 

Yan-kan-go 

23.07 

69°.8o 

29.88 

73°-4o 

5J 

7,373 

14  Sept. 

Col  in  the  chain  of  separa 
tion  between    the    basin 
of  the  Mekong   and  tht 
Salwen     (beneath     Peal 

Francis  Gamier) 

18.89 

37°-4o 

29.96 

8o°.6o 

»» 

12,860 

i/4 


APPENDIX  A 


B 

At  same  Date. 

1 

0 

■A 

Dates. 

Places  of  Observation. 

0 
1^ 

II 

S-~          '*"          H 

•0 

< 

a. 

2 

2  «      1 

S 

rt 

1 

1895. 

* 

Feet. 

16  Sept. 

First   passage    of  the    river 

Donyon .... 

22.55 

57°-2o 

29.92      75°.2o 

28° 

7.998 

18      „ 

Meuradon    (banks    of    the 

Donyon) 

23-74 

66'.2o 

30.07      73°.4o 

6,751  1 

19      » 

Col    between    the    Donyon 

1 

and  the  Salwen 

21.92 

71°.  60 

3°-i>   1 

9,101 

20      „ 

Banks  of  the    Sahven    near 

Tionra    .... 

25.11 

75'.2o 

30.15      69'. 80 

S.I  93 

24      „ 

Banks    of    the    Salwen    at 

Djewan  .... 

»> 

7i°.6o 

29-92      73°-4o 

S.019 

28      „ 

Col  in  the  chain  separating 
the  Salwen  from  the  Poula 

Ho          ...         . 

18.93 

5°; 

30.03      7i°.6o 

12,896 

29      >. 
5  Oct. 

Tamalo      .... 
Col  in  the  Mongon-ko  chain 

23.42 
19.96 

64°.  40 

30.00      64^.40 

6,886 
8,341 

5i°.8o 

Barometric  and 

TJ          >) 

Banks  of  the  Seke  Lon 

21.69 

n 

Thermometric 

9,295 

7     „ 

Col  in  the  chain  of  separa- 
tion   between  the   basins 

Mean  for  the 
Month  of  October 

of   the    Salwen    and    the 
Irawadi  .         .         .    _    . 

19.80 

46°.40 

at  Amoy. 

8,406 

29.96 

77° 

9     .. 

Toulong      .... 

24.92 

68° 

5.401 

13     .. 

First  passage  of  the   Kiou- 

kiang  or  Tourong    . 

25.62 

64°.  40 

4,460 

16    „ 

Deidoum    .... 

24.29 

69°.8o 

6,027 

19    .. 

Banks    of   the    Kiou-kiang 
near    the    confluence    of 

the  Laonatsi   . 

26.25 

62°. 60 

3,762 

21     „ 

Highest  point  on  route  from 

Deidoum  to  Tukiu  Mu    . 

20.94 

53°-6o 

10,121 

22     „ 

Passage  of  the  river  Tetchen 

25.00 

59° 

5.114 

30     .. 

Col  between  Tukiu  Mu  and 

Mandoum 

25-59 

66. 20 

4.512 

)»      )» 

Passage  of  the  river  Dublu 

at  its  confluence  with  the 
river  Telo 

26.96 

53°6o 

57°-20 

2,972 

Do.       Do. 

2  Nov. 

Col  in  the  chain  separating 
the  river  Telo  from  the 
river  Reunnam  (Sinbinti) 

22.47 

for  the  Month  of 
November. 

8,146 

30-03 

68° 

s    .. 

Confluence   of  the  Wan-ou 

and  the  Reunnam  . 

28.07 

68° 

1,909 

375 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Dates. 

I'laces  of  Oliservation. 

0 

1 

B 
H 

So 

a 

a. 
E 

Barometric  and 

Thcrmometric 

Mean  for  the 

Month  of  November 

at  Amoy. 

Latitudes. 

Altitudes.                     | 

1 

i        1S95. 
8  Nov. 

Col  between  the  Reunnam 

Feet. 

and     the     Tsan      (Dzon 
Redzi)    .... 

22.47 

S7°-2o 

2B° 

8,146 

10     „ 

Bank.s  of  the  T.san 

28.11 

)> 

" 

1,867 

16     „ 

Col  in  the  Leket  chain  be- 
tween the  rivers  Tsan  and 

Nam  Kiou 

24.96 

73''-40 

)J 

5.178 

19     .. 

Passage  of  the  Nam  Kiou  . 

28.81 

)» 

27° 

1,185 

20     „ 

Khamti       .... 

»» 

)» 

)1 

J) 

26     „ 

Col  in  the  chain  separating 
the    basins    of  the    Nam 

Kiou  and  the  Nam  Lang 

25-55 

S7"'.2o 

J» 

4,545 

29     „ 

Passage  of  the  Nam  Lang  . 

27.79 

55°-40 

J) 

2,179 

I  Dec. 

Col  Nam  Tsai  Boum  . 

23-85 

57°.2o 

J> 

6,487 

Col  between  the  Ouepoukot 

and  the  Nam  Phungan    . 

23-30 

53"-6o 

T> 

7.063 

3     >. 

Bank  of  the  Nam  Phungan 

25-78 

5i'.8o 

)) 

4,278 

8     „ 

Col  of  the  Phungan  Boum  . 

20.94 

37°-4o 

30.11 

59° 

JJ 

9,888 

9     " 

Bank  of  the  Nam  Dapha     . 

24.72 

44°.6o 

») 

5>42i 

II     „ 

Summit    of    the    chain    of 

separation     between     the 
Dihing  and  the  Dapha    . 

21-57 

4  2  .80 

>» 

9-150 

13     „ 

First  passage  of  the    Nam 
Dihing    .... 

28.18 

6o°.8o 

»> 

1,849 

17     .. 

Daphagang 

28.34 

66°.  20 

)» 

1,701 

L  In  column  i  are  given  the  corrected  barometric  pressures  with  allowance  for 
tide  and  for  the  error  of  the  aneroid.  The  latter  was  obtained  from  hypsometric 
observations  taken  at  least  once  a  week  and  oftener  in  all  important  places.  My 
two  hypsometers  were  supplied  by  Baudin,  and  their  slight  zero  error  was  measured 
at  the  start  and  verified  at  the  finish.  To  guard  against  sudden  variations  in  the 
aneroids,  such  as  might  be  caused  by  a  blow,  I  nearly  always  had  two  about  me,  and 
took  simultaneous  readings  for  every  altitude.  Thanks  to  these  constant  comparisons, 
I  can  vouch  for  the  exactness  of  the  corrected  pressures  to  within  .05905  of  an  inch. 


APPENDIX  A 


At  Ssumao,  Tali-Fou,  and  Atentse   I  was  able  to  compare  my  altitudes  with  those 
given  by  other  travellers,  with  the  subjoined  satisfactory  result : — 

Feet.  Feet. 

Ssumao         .         .         .       4,568         .         .         .       4.542  (Francis  Gamier). 

„  ,.  ,,  (  6,078  (Francis  Gamier). 

Tali-rou       .         .         .       7,007         .         .         •    ■  /T.  V.     V 

"      '  (  7)07°  (Baber). 

Atents^         .         .  .      11,060         .         .         .      1 1,000  (Captain  Gill). 

II.  Column  2  gives  the  temperature  at  the  moment  of  the  observation,  taken 
with  a  sling  thermometer  of  Baudin's. 

III.  Columns  3  and  4  contain  the  mean  barometric  pressure  and  temperature 
at  sea-level  on  the  same  date  as  the  observation.  I  selected  Hong-Kong,  Amoy, 
and  Shanghai  for  base,  according  as  our  route  lay  nearest  to  their  respective  latitudes. 
The  readings  were  kindly  furnished  by  M.  Bourgeois,  chancellor  of  the  French 
Consulate  at  Hong-Kong,  who  caused  the  daily  meteorological  bulletins  of  the  coast 
of  China  from  February  to  October  to  be  forwarded  to  Paris  ;  after  ist  October  I 
received  only  the  monthly  mean. 

IV.  In  column  5  will  be  found  the  degree  of  latitude  nearest  to  the  place  of 
observation  which  enters  into  the  calculations  for  the  correction  of  temperature. 

V.  Lastly,  column  6  gives  the  altitudes  calculated  after  the  Radau  Tables  based 
on  the  formula  of  Laplace.  The  readings  at  the  point  of  observation  enter  simul- 
taneously into  the  calculation  with  the  corresponding  ones  under  the  same  parallel 
by  the  seashore.  They  are  not  laid  down  as  correct  to  a  foot,  because  one  cannot  be 
sure  of  the  local  variations  in  pressure  being  identical  at  Hong-Kong  and  in  Yiinnan  ; 
but,  speaking  generally,  the  monthly  changes  follow  the  same  laws  of  increase  and 
decrease, — maximum  pressure  in  January,  minimum  in  July, — the  amplitude  reaching 
the  mean  figure  of  .59055  inch,  about  492  feet.  Besides  that  this  is  the  method  most 
universally  employed  by  travellers,  it  must  be  owned  that  one  has  no  better  base  at 
one's  disposal  for  disengaging  the  absolute  altitude  from  the  observed  pressure.  The 
process  of  calculation  being  clearly  set  forth  in  the  preface  to  the  Radau  Tables  (Paris, 
Gauthier-MUars),  I  abstain  from  reproducing  it  here. 

P.\RIS,    \llh  June  1896. 


V.  REMARKS   ON   THE    METHODS    USED    FOR    FIXING   THE 
PRINCIPAL    POSITIONS    ON   THE    MAP 

I.   Manhao  (point  of  departure) 

Latitude  =  23°  00'  30"  N.     Astronomical  observations. 

Longitude  =  100°  54'  E.  F'ollowing  the  map  of  the  staff,  1/200,000,  published 
by  the  Topographic  Service  of  Hanoi  (page  Mongtse),  showing  the  labours  of  the 
Frontier  Delimitation  Commission. 


2.    S.SU.\IAO 

Latitude  =  22°  46'  30"  N.     Astronomical  observations. 

Longitude  =  98°  42'  30"  E.     This  longitude  is  the  mean  of  the  three  following  : — 
(i)  That  given  by  my  estimated  distance:   98'  37'. 

(2)  That  given  by  my  astronomical  observations  :  98°  47'  30". 

(3)  That  given  by  Francis  Gamier's  observations:  98°  43'. 

(F'or  the  advantage  of  this  mode  of  adoption,  see  the  observations  at  the  end  of 
the  list  of  longitudes,  supra.) 

377 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


3.  Tali-Fou 

Latitude  =  25°  42'  30"  N.     Astronomical  observations. 

Longitude  =  98'  3'  45"  E.     This  longitude  is  the  mean  of  the  three  following: — 

(i)  That   given  by  my  estimated  distance,  taking  Ssumao  as  point  of 
departure  :  98°  4'  30". 

(2)  That  given  by  my  astronomical  observations  :  97°  59'. 

(3)  That  given  by  Francis  (iarnier's  observations:  97°  8'. 

4.  Atentsk 

(No  astronomical  observations  owing  to  theft  of  instruments.) 
Latitude  =  28°  28'  N.     This  latitude  is  the  mean  between — 
(i)  My  estimated  latitude:   28°  29'. 
(2)   Latitude  on  Gill's  map  corrected:   28^  27'. 
In  his  map  Captain  Clill  makes  28°  23'  the  latitude  of  Atentse.     But  as  he  did  not 
take  astronomical  ob.servations,  I  am  of  opinion  that  this  should  be  altered  4',  for  the 
following   considerations :   He  places  Batang    on    his    map   at    latitude   29°  53'   50", 
whereas  its  real  latitude,  observed  with  the  sextant  by  P'ather  Desgodins,  is  30'  00' ; 
his  latitude  of  Tali,  on  the  other  hand,  is  identical  with  that  given  by  ( larnier  and 
verified  by  myself.     There  is  thus  an  error  of  6'  10"  on  the  Batang-Tali  length,  and 
by  interpolation  (Batang,  Atentse,  and  Tali  being  practically  on  the  same  line)  an 
error  of  4'  on  the  Atentse-Tali  length  ;  the  real  latitude  of  Gill  ought  therefore  to  be 
considered  as  4'  more  N.,  which  gives  28'   27'.     That  adopted  by  CJeneral  Walker  in 
his  map  of  Thibet  is  28'  30'. 

Longitude  =  97°  00'  E.,  being  the  mean  between — 

(i)   My  longitude  estimated  starting  from  position  adopted  for  Tali :  97°  00'. 
(2)  The    longitude    adopted    by    General    \Valker    in    his    map    of    Thibet 
(July  1894):  97^  00'. 
A\'hich,  as  is  seen,  happen  exactly  to  coincide. 

5.   Kii.A.MTi  (Padao,  capital  of  the  country) 

Latitude  =  27'  22'  30"  N.  Observed  by  Colonel  Woodthorpe.  (My  own  latitude, 
estimated  after  two  months  and  a  half  without  any  guiding  marks,  was  27°  28'  30",  or 
only  6'  difference.  The  most  recent  maps  of  Assam  place  Khamti  in  27°  24'  N. 
latitude.      But  I  have  thought  it  better  to  maintain  that  of  Col.  Woodthorpe.) 

Longitude  =  97'  30'  45"  E.  of  (ireenwich,  or  97°  31'  (95°  11'  E.  of  Paris).  I  have 
adopted  this  figure  from  the  following  considerations  : — 

Between  Khamti  and  Daphagang  (point  of  arrival  on  my  map,  close  to  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Dihing  and  the  Dapha,  which  appears  in  the  geodesic  survey  of  the 
positions  in  Assam)  the  distance  estimated  by  Col.  Woodthorpe  is     .         .  55'  35" 

According  to  my  own  estimation  this  same  distance  should  be  .         .         .1°  00'  35" 


Mean     .         58'  05" 

By  carrying  this  mean  difference  to  the  east  of  Daphagang  (96"  32'  40")  I  obtain 
97°  30'  45",  the  longitude  adopted. 

(On  arrival  at  Khamti  after  two  and  a  half  months'  march,  my  estimated  longitude 
was  97°  33'  15"  E.  of  Greenwich,  while  that  of  Col.  Woodthorpe,  starting  from  Assam, 
was  97°  28'  15";  or  only  5'  difference  at  the  point  of  coincidence  on  a  total  route  of 
3°  30'  in  longitude.) 

6.   D.\PH.\GANG  (point  of  arrival) 

Latitude  =27°  29'  10"  N. 

Longitude  =  96'  32'  40"  E.  (Greenwich).  Following  Col.  Woodthorpe  and  the 
maps  of  Assam. 


APPENDIX  A 
METEOROLOGICAL   TABLES   AND    DAILY    LOG 

OF 

M.  EMILE    ROUX 
Enseigne  de  Vaisseau 


PART  I.    TONKIN  TO  TALI-FOU 


Place  of 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Winci 

Date. 

Observation. 

c 

0 

CI 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

X 

_C 

tJ 

^ 

rt 

(2 

1895. 

7 

Feb. 

Bac-Sat    (Red 
R.  Tonkin) 

S.E. 

2 

Overcast. 

Junk  on  Red  R.  Laokay  to 
Manhao. 

8 

JJ 

On  Red  R.     . 

69° 

59° 

>) 

3 

Very  fine; 
overcast 
at  night. 

9 

75° 

62° 

N.E. 

2 

10 

Manhao  (Yiin- 
nan) 

71° 

66° 

E. 

4 

Cloudy. 

loth  to  13th,  stay  at  Manhao. 

1 1 

)) 

)) 

S.E. 

J) 

Light 
clouds. 

12 

77° 

64° 

0 

Very  fine. 

13 

82° 

66° 

E. 

2 

Overcast 

at  night. 

14 

Kan-tan-tse     . 

»5 

51° 

0 

Very  fine. 

Manhao  to  Kan-tan-tse,  2  m. 
beyond  Ho-Teou. 

15 

Sin-chai . 

J» 

50° 

S. 

2 

>) 

Kan-tan-tse  to  Sin-chai. 

16 

Mongtse 

77° 

J) 

S.E. 

3 

71 

Sin-chai  to  Mongtse.  i6th  to 
26th,  stay  at  Mongtse. 

17 

... 

73° 

5) 

») 

4 

11 

[Obs.— On     the     plateau     of 

18 

... 

if 

51° 

») 

3 

11 

Mongtse    the    wind    blows 

19 

73° 

53" 

») 

j» 

chiefly  from  the  S.  and  S.E., 

20 

75° 

JJ 

s.w. 

4 

Fine. 

weakly  in  the  morning,  more 

21 

>) 

J' 

S.E. 

2 

11 

strongly  at   night.      Climate 

22 

73° 

>» 

s. 

4 

11 

in  winter  very  fine  and  dry. 

23 

75° 

)» 

E.N.E. 

j» 

11 

Temperature  equable.] 

24 

if 

51^ 

0 

11 

'  Maximum  represents  highest  temperature  recorded  during  day;  Minimum  shows  lowest  do. ,  in  place  where  the- 
night  was  passed,  as  marked  in  parallel  column  against  the  date. 

-  The  values  of  the  force  of  the  wind  are  those  in  use  in  seacoast  and  meteorological  returns  :  from  o  (calm)  to  lo- 
(hurricane). 

379 


FROM   TOxNKIN  TO   INDIA 


Place  of 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

>i 

c 

0 

4J 
0 

C3 

t» 

^ 

S 

3 

1 

1895. 

25  Feb. 

75° 

55° 

S. 

2 

Fine. 

26  „ 

73° 

53° 

S.W. 

4 

J) 

27   „ 

Long  -  choui- 
tieou 

!H 

5°° 

S. 

3 

Cloudy ; 

heavy 
showers. 

Mongtse  to  Long-choui-tieou. 

28   „ 

Ho-teou 

») 

57° 

0 

Very  fine. 

Long-choui-tieou  to  Ho-teou. 

I  March 

Panther  Camp 

?» 

60° 

)) 

)) 

Cross  Red  R.  by  ferry. 

•> 

Lou-tche-hsien 

») 

44° 

S.W. 

3 

Fine  day. 

Thick  fog 

at  night. 

Lou-tche-hsien,  a  I'oula  village, 
12  miles. 

,     3       >, 

Sha-ha-te 

»> 

46° 

0 

Fog. 

Sha-ha-te,  Chinese  village,  3  m. 

4       „ 

Fong-chen-lin 

„ 

50° 

J) 

)) 

Chinese  village,  15  ni. 

5       .. 

Sinka 

J> 

>) 

E. 

4 

Fog  till 

noon; then 

fine. 

Chinese  village,  1 1  m. 

6        „ 

Ouong-choupe 

n 

J) 

N.VV. 

3 

Fog  till  10 

a.m. ;  then 

fine. 

Chinese  village,  9  m. 

7          n 

Tamatolo 

)» 

)> 

0 

Very  fine. 

Chinese  village,  7  m. 

8       „ 

)) 

)5 

)» 

)) 

Halt  at  Tamatolo. 

9       ,, 

Sin-chai. 

9'' 

51° 

S.E. 

4 

Burning 
sky,  and 
wind  like 

sirocco. 

T.  to  S.,  7  m.    Chinese  village. 

10       „ 

Pin-ngan-chai 

82° 

59° 

j» 

5 

J) 

P.  (Pais  or  Laotians),  9  m. 

u       „ 

Louping 

98° 

66° 

}} 

I 

Very  fine. 

P.  to  L.  (Chine-se),  15  m. 

12       „ 

Tou-te    . 

)> 

62° 

0 

Very  fine. 

Lowering ; 

storm  at 

night. 

L.  to  T.  (Chinese),  17  m. 

13       ,. 

Isa 

84° 

60° 

W. 

2 

Very  fair. 

T.  to  I.  (small  Chinese  town; 
about  2000  inhabitants). 

14       „ 

Souto     . 

82° 

57° 

)I 

I 

>) 

L  to  S.  (Chinese),  8  m. 

15       ,> 

Long-ti  . 

80° 

») 

0 

)} 

S.  to  L.  (small   Chinese  town, 
about  1500  inhab.),  12  m. 

16       „ 

Ta-yang-ka     . 

75° 

46° 

>) 

»j 

L.  to  T.  (Chinese),  8  m. 

17       ,, 

Tchekou 

5' 

50' 

JJ 

Thick  fog. 

Ta.  to  Teh.  (Lolos),  8  m. 

18       „ 

Lami 

JJ 

48° 

s. 

3 

Cold, 
damp  fog. 

Teh.  to  L.  (Hou-Nis),  11  m. 

19       ., 

Sou-tchou-sai . 

68° 

50° 

0 

Fog. 

L.  to  S.  (Chinese),  13  m. 

20       „ 

Malo      . 

71° 

57° 

s.s.w. 

2 

>» 

S.  to  M.  (Lolos),  9  m. 

21 

68° 

59° 

»J 

1 

Stormy, 
showery. 

Halt  at  M. 

;8o 


APPENDIX  A 


Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

c 

i< 

^ 

0 

nj 

<j 

s 

^ 

5 

^ 

1895- 
22  March 

Pitchu    . 

64° 

5°° 

0 

Rain. 

M.  to  P.  (Hou-Nis),  gh  m. 
Time,  3  hrs.  47  min.  By  col 
above  Malo.  Across  the 
Laniouho ;  ford  difficult. 
Across  an  affluent  of  the 
Laniouho. 

23       .. 

Sama 

J» 

53° 

s. 

3 

Overcast. 

P.  to  S.  ( Hou-Nis),  9  m. :  3  hrs. 
By  Loko-sai  (Chinese  ham- 
let) and  Xiho  (Hou-Ni 
village). 

24       ,> 

Pan-hou-tse     . 

86' 

57" 

0 

Very  fair. 

S.  to  P.  (Hou-Nis),  i3i  m.: 
4  hrs.  By  Kampi  Yangtse 
and  Loma  (Hou-Nis).  Cross 
the  Pasan-Ho. 

25       » 

Li-sian-pou-tou 

89° 

60° 

n 

)) 

P.  to  S.  (two  Hou-Ni  houses), 
9  m.;  3 J  hrs.  By  Katchou 
(Hou-Nis)  and  Matran 
(Hatous).  Cross  the  Black 
R.  (Lysien-kiang)  in  sam- 
pan. 

26       „ 

Tian-si   . 

87" 

J) 

s.w. 

2 

T) 

L.  to  T.  (Hou-Nis),  gi  m. :  3^ 
hrs.  By  Kou-ta-fan  (Hou- 
Nis)  and  Vutaipo. 

27       >. 

Mote 

84° 

T) 

s.s.w. 

1) 

)J 

T.  to  M.  (Chinese),  17  m. ;  3^ 
hrs.  By  Leang  -  sou  -  tchai 
(Hou-Ni).  Cross  the  Lo- 
ma-ho  by  ford  (affluent  of 
Lysien-kiang,  shallow,  wide 
bed,  important  in  rainy 
season).  Over  chain  be- 
tween the  Lo-ma-Ho  and 
the  Mo-te  Ho  (source  of 
the  Mong-ie-tsin  Ho,  con- 
siderable affluent  of  Lysien- 
kiang). 

28       „ 

Muong-le 

n 

55° 

») 

)» 

Mo.  to  Mu.  (small  Chinese 
town,  about  2000  inhab.),  4f 
m. ;  2  hrs.  Cross  the  Mo- 
te Ho.  By  Mali-sou-tchai 
(Chinese)  and  Patchi 
(Chinese). 

29       >. 

... 

77° 

if 

» 

)1 

Halt  at  Muong-le. 

381 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


Place  of 

Thermometer 

( Fahr. ). 

Wind. 

Dale. 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

X 

C 

tJ 

^ 

i< 

Uh 

1895. 

30  March 

Keu-ma-tse 

68" 

57" 

w. 

2 

Fair. 

M.  to  K.  (Chinese),  11  m. ; 
3f  hrs.  By  Pima-tchai 
(Chinese  village).  Ford, 
depth  15  in.,  over  the  Mong- 
ie-tsin  Ho,  called  here  the 
Mong-ou-kiang.  Country 
little  inhabited. 

31         n 

Ta-koue-lin 

71' 

60° 

0 

Fine,  hazy. 

K.  to  T.  (Pais),  12  m. ;  4]  hrs. 
Ford  over  the  Men-ling  Ho, 
affluent  of  the  Mong-ie-tsin 
Ho.  By  Tsoun-chai  (Pais), 
followed  the  Men-ling  Ho  to 
Hatien  (Pais). 

I  April 

Ta-tchai 

77° 

5.S° 

J) 

2 

Cloudy. 
Lightning ; 
much  hail. 

Tak.  to  Tat.  (Chinese),  8  m. ; 
3  hrs.  Up  the  Men-ling  Ho, 
which  crossed  several  times. 
By  Soun-tchai  (Pais). 

2 

Blue  Bird  Camp 

82" 

48° 

w.s.^v. 

3) 

Very  fair. 

T.  to  Camp  B.  B.,  1 3i  m.;  5  hrs. 
Follow  up  the  Men-ling  Ho 
past  three  Pai  villages. 
Crossed  chain  dividing  the 
Men-ling  Ho  and  the  Nam- 
bang,  also  the  basins  of  Me- 
kong and  Red  Rivers.  By 
Impoutsin  (large  Chin.  vill.). 

3       >> 

Tchen-lao 

88" 

47" 

0 

Fair.  Op- 
pressive. 

Camp  B.B.  to  T.  (Pais),  10  m. ; 
3-^  hrs.  Across  chain  above 
the  Chen-long  Ho  or  Nam- 
bang.  Up  left  bank  by 
Ho-Kale  (Chinese). 

4       ,, 

Camp,       Fen- 
chiu-lin 

9'" 

51° 

)» 

4 

Very  fair. 

T.  to  Camp  F.  (Pais),  9  m. ; 
3  hrs.  Across  the  Chen- 
long  Ho.  Right  bank, 
narrow  gorge.  Rich  valley 
of  Ta-ping,  thickly  popu- 
lated (Chinese). 

5       .. 

Potso      . 

Sf 

)) 

>) 

2 

)» 

Camp    F.    to    P.     (Chinese), 
14   m.;    5   hrs.     Traversed  . 
chain  between  the  C.  Long 
Ho    and    the    Poueul    Ho. 
By    Moun  -  pa  -  to  -  lo  (large 
Lolo  village).    Country  well 
wooded  and  watered. 

APPENDIX   A 


Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind 

Weather. 

Remarlis. 

c 

c 

.2 

u 
u 

<u 

0 

S 

^ 

'r^ 

^ 

1— 1 

1895- 

6  April 

Ssumao  . 

86' 

51° 

0 

Very  fair. 

!'.  to  S.  (Chinese  town,  of 
10,000  inhabitants),  19  m. ; 
5^  hrs.  Entered  plain  of 
Ssumao,  p.m. 

7       » 

87° 

») 

)J 

n 

From  6th  to  loth,  halt  at 
Ssumao. 

8       „ 

86' 

60' 

>» 

n 

9       .. 

)J 

59° 

») 

Storm, 
5  p.m. 

10 

78° 

» 

M 

Storm, 
6  p.m. 

ri 

Tchin-oue 

If 

55° 

w. 

2 

Rain. 

S.  to  T.  (Chinese),  8i  m. ; 
3  hrs.  Crossed  the  Tou- 
ti-tchiao  by  stone  bridge, 
crossed  the  Mole  Ho, 
affluents  of  the  Poueul 
Ho  and  Nam-bang  respect- 
ively.    Left  the  plain. 

12 

'I'a-ou-tse-son  . 

)) 

>> 

0 

Overcast. 

Teh.  to  T.   (Chinese),  6   m.; 
2^  hrs.  Undulating  plateau,  , 
fir  forests. 

13       ,. 

Ko-tchien-to   . 

82° 

57° 

)» 

Fair. 

r.    to   K.    (Chinese),    11   m.; 
3ihrs.  Crossed  the  Lanngan 
Ho,  affluent  of  the  Poueul 
Ho.       By     Ouit  -  tse  -  chai  1 
(Chinese). 

14           V 

Kouen-fong    . 

78' 

53° 

)> 

I 

Very  fair. 

!<..  to  Kouen  (Pais),  5  m.; 
i^  hr.  Across  great  lime- 
stone chain  of  Talo  Moun- 
tains by  a  depressed  col 
656  yds.  wide  and  i  m.  long. 

15       " 

Longtang 

86' 

60° 

0 

Fair.   Op- 
pressive. 

K.  to  L.  (two  large  Pai  vil- 
lages), 7  m.;  2i  hrs.  \Vater- 
less  desert. 

16 

Tiou-fan 

91' 

62" 

s.w. 

I 

>» 

L.     to    T.     (Chinese    name, 
Ssen-song),   10  m. ;  3^  hrs.  - 
Crossed   the    Long-tang-ho. 
By   three   or   four   Chinese 
villages  i  country  bare. 

17 

No-tcha . 

87° 

>> 

>i 

4 

Fair. 
Cloudy. 

T.   to  N.    (Chinese),    10    m. :  ' 
lihr.     By  Chiaotse  (Chin- 
ese).    Fir  forests. 

383 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 

(Kahr.). 

\Vind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

d 

X 

c 

_o 

cd 

0 

s 

'■s. 

£J 

1 

5 

1895. 

18  April 

Ta-choui-chong 

96° 

66° 

s.w. 

3 

Fair.          N.  to  T.  (Chinese),  8  m.;  3  hr.s. 
;       Steep  descent  to   the    Me- 

kong,    crossed    by    ferry — 

mean  width,  153  yds.  ;  cur- 

rent, 2  m.  an   hour  ;  temp., 

66°;    no   rapids    in    sight; 

depth    uncertain,    but   con-  1 

siderable. 

19       .. 

Lapatchin 

>) 

)i 

„ 

)f 

)» 

T.    to    L.  (Chinese),    17    m. ; 

5I  hrs.     By  Dayakeu  (small 

Chinese      town,      700      in- 

. 

habitants  :    residence    of   a 

mandarin).                                 | 

19th  to  22nd,  halt  at   Lapat- 

chin.    No  observations. 

23       >. 

Meng-pou 

82° 

)» 

>J 

j» 

»> 

L.    to    M.    (Lokais),    20    m. ; 
6J  hrs.    Cross  the  Heu  Ho, 
affluent     of     Mekong,     by 
wooden    bridge — width,    2 1 
yds.;  current,  i  knot ;  depth, 

10  ft.     By  Lalichin  (Lolos).  | 

24       „ 

Meng-ton 

78° 

>j 

1) 

J) 

„             Meng-ton    (Lokais),     13    m. ;  j 

5   hrs.     By     several    Lokai  | 

villages.     Cross    the    chain 

between     the     Lokai     Ho 

affluent    and    the    Mekong. 

By  Chuen-lo  (small  Chinese 

town :    residence    of    man- 

darin  and  a  Lokai  chief). 

25       ., 

Nampe  . 

95° 

75° 

s. 

2 

„             M.    to    N.    (Chinese),    village 

j       above  Mekong  right  bank, 

9    m. ;  3^  hrs.     By  Tocan 

(Chinese    and    Poula),    one 

mile    before    Nampe,    very 

strong     rapid ;      navigation 

impracticable.      Soundings,  1 

Mekong,  131  ft.;  no  bottom.  ! 

26       „ 

Mong-pan 

87° 

)J 

)) 

>i 

Fair.  Sultry. 

N.   to  M.  (Pai  and  Chinese), 
20  m. ;  65  hrs.     Across  river 
by   ferry.     By   Ta  -  Nampe 
(Lokais).     Entered  plain  of 
Mong-pan.      By     Pali    and 
Song-yu-tan  (Pai  village). 

3«4 


APPENDIX  A 


Dale. 


Place  of 
Observation. 


1895. 
27    April 


28       „ 


Lotchi-sun 


Mong-ka 


29       ,. 


I    May 


Ta-pong 


Kansa 


2     „ 


Pochan  . 


3     ., 


Mienning 


Thermometer 

(Fahr.). 


Wind. 


86° 


89° 


78° 


66° 


68° 


66" 


S. 


S.W. 


W. 


62°      S.W. 


Weather 


Fair. 


Fair.  Slight 
showers. 


Remark.s. 


\^er)-  fair. 


Fair  to 
rainy. 


2  B 


385 


M.  to  L.  (Chinese),  12  m.; 
4J  hrs.  Great  fir  forests. 
Crossed  the  Lan-kiou  Ho 
near  Pampo-tchai  (Chinese). 

L.  to  M.  (Pais  and  Chinese), 
21  m.:  6 J  hrs.  Fir  forests. 
Crossed  crest  of  bluff 
separating  the  Lan-kiou  Ho 
from  plain  of  Mong-ka, 
which  entered  near  Chien- 
mao  (Pai).  Cut  the  Mong- 
ka  Ho  several  times. 

Halt  at  Mong-ka. 

M.  to  T.  (Chinese),  by  right 
bank  of  Mekong,  27  m.; 
8i  hrs.  Firs.  Hota-ho 
(Chinese)  and  Ta-mo-ta-ho 
(Lokais).  Ferry  over  Me- 
kong. 

T.  to  K.  (Chinese  and  Pais), 
12m.:  4^  hrs.  Stiff  ascent, 
by  Nan-kan  and  Pai-yuen 
(Chinese).  Crossed  the 
Latung  Ho,  affluent  of 
Mekong-Latung. 

K.  to  P.  (large  Chinese  town), 
18  m.:  6  hrs.  Ascended  the 
Latung  Ho.  Valley  narrow 
and  wooded.  From  Touko 
(large  Chinese  village)  valley 
open,  cultivated,  and  popu- 
lated. Crossed  chain  be- 
tween Mekong  and  the 
Salwen,  and  descended  into 
valley  of  Pochan. 

P.  to  M.  (Chinese  town  of 
5000  inhabitants  ;  residence 
of  sub  -  prefect),  loi  m.; 
5^  hrs.  Continued  descent 
of  valley  of  the  Pochan  Ho 
(source  of  the  Nansing  Ho, 
large  affluent  of  Salwen).  By. 
Poman-tsun  and  Chui-poun. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Dale. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

X 

c 

tz 

,0 

i 

Q 

^ 

1895. 
4  May 

... 

Halt  at  Mieniiing. 

5     » 

Camp       False 
Route 

78° 

62° 

0 

Very  fair. 

M.  to  Camp  F.  R.,  io|  m.; 
3i  hrs.  Descent  of  valley 
of  Nansing  Ho ;  at  first 
broad  and  cultivated,  en- 
closed and  wild  later. 
Camped  by  river. 

.    6     „ 

1 

Pintchou 

87° 

59° 

s.w. 

JJ 

jj 

Camp  F.  R.  to  P.,  12  m. 
Retraced  steps  to  bridge 
over  Nansing  Ho  near 
Mienning;  thence  to  edge 
of  plain. 

7     >. 

Camp    of    the 
Two  Basins 

J» 

5«° 

)J 

J» 

jj 

P.  to  Camp  T.  B.,i4m.;  4f  hrs. 
Crossed  the  chain  of  separa- 
tion between  Mekong  and 
Salwen. 

8     „ 

Tchong-tchun 

J) 

60° 

w. 

4 

Cloudy. 
Rain,  p.m. 

Camp  T.  B.  to  T.  (Chinese), 
7  m.  ;  2i  hrs.  By  the  Pai 
Ho.  Crossed  large  chain  of 
hills  overhanging  Mekong ; 
mean  altitude,  8887  ft. 

9     » 

Pan-tong-ka    . 

») 

66° 

0 

Very  fair. 

Rain  at 

night. 

T.  to  P.  (Chinese),  1 3  m.;  4  hrs. 
Followed  Mekong  valley  at 
mean  altitude  of  5925  ft.; 
height  above  river,  2800  ft. 
By  Tamelan,  Mempo,  and 
Nakan. 

10     ,> 

Ta  -  cheu  -  tou- 
kai 

») 

64° 

J) 

2 

Cloudy. 

P.  to  T.  (Chinese),  i3i  m.; 
4^  hrs.  As  yesterday,  by 
Pa-nong-kai. 

II     „ 

Manto    . 

)» 

J) 

)) 

3 

Overcast. 

T.  to  M.  (Chinese),  13  m.  ; 
4  hrs.  Descent  into  valley 
of  the  Mong-ma  Ho,  affluent 
of  Mekong.  Followed  right 
bank  by  Ta-tseu-kai  (large 
Pai  and  Chinese  townlet). 
Rice-fields. 

12     „ 

Tcheya  . 

84° 

69° 

Fair. 

Rain  at 
night. 

M.  to  T.  (Chinese),  8  m. ; 
2|  hrs.  Continued  ascent 
of  the  Mong-ma  Ho. 

386 


APPENDIX  A 


Datt. 


1895. 
13    May 


14 


15 


16 


17 


18     „ 


19     „ 


21        V 


Place  of 
Observation. 


Lao-Kaitse 


Viinchou 


Thermometer 

(Fahr.). 


Lotan 


Chun-ning-Fou 


Ta-lo-oue 


Hsiao-tiou-fan 


Salatang 


Mon-tian-cho  . 


91 


95 


84" 


85°      66 


73 


7> 


62° 


66" 


60° 


69° 


57 


66° 


Wind. 


w. 


E.S.E. 


E. 


W. 


Weather. 


Remarks. 


Fine  day.  i  T.    to    L.    (Chinese),   2|  hrs. 

Heavy     |  Up  valley  of  the  Mong-ma 

showers  at  Ho  to  one  of  its    sources. 

night.  By  Tcha-fang-kai. 


Fair. 


Cloudy. 
Oppres- 
sive. 

Fair. 
Rain  at 

night. 


Cloudy. 
Light  rain. 


Rain. 


L.  to  Y.,  i6i  m.;  6  hrs.  Fir 
forests.  Crossed  the  Lancho 
Ho,  affluent  of  Mekong,  by 
bamboo  bridge  —  breadth, 
43  yds  ;  depth,  3  ft.  Bed 
of  stream  five  times  larger. 

Halt  at  Yunchou.'  Important 
commercial  centre,  about 
7000  inhabitants  ;  resid- 
ence of  sub-prefect. 

Y.  to  L.  (large  Chinese  town- 
ship), 13^  m.;  4^  hrs.  Ascent 
up  right  bank  of  the  Pe  Hsiao 
Ho. 

L.  to  C.  (Chinese  prefecture, 
about  6000  inhabitants). 
Continued  up  the  Pe  Hsiao 
Ho.     By  Chiang-chouan. 

C.  to  T.,iom.;  3^  hrs.  Crossed 
two  rivers,  sources  of  the 
Pe  Hsiao  Ho.  ByTampao. 
Over  col  in  the  chain  of 
hills. 

T.  to  H.,  gi  m.;  3^  hrs.  By 
Chin-chouen  to  the  Mekong 
valley. 

H.  to  S.,  13  m.;  4A  hrs.  Fol- 
lowed Mekong  right  bank. 
Crossed  river  by  fine  hang- 
ing bridge.  Zigzag  ascent 
to  col,  8556  ft.     By  Loma. 

S.  to  M.,  II  m.;  3I  hrs.  By 
Halo-cheu  (small  town,about 
1500  inhabitants).  .Along 
crest  to  an  affluent  of  the 
Yang-pi-kiang,  whence  into 
valley. 


'  From  Yiinchou  as  far  as  Tali  the  country  is  exclusively  inhabited  by  Chinese. 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Place  of 

Thermometer 
(Fahr. ). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Kemarks. 

X 

a 

s 

i 

(5 

U 
0 
^ 

;:   May 

Tsa-fa-se 

80° 

66'' 

0 

Overcast. 

M.  to  T.,i3i  m.;4ihrs.  Down 
affluent  to  the  Yang -pi - 
kiang,  which  crossed  by 
raft.  Depth,  1 2  ft. ;  current,  i 
knot.     By  Hsiao  pinkai. 

23     •- 

Koulo  Ho 

M 

62° 

»» 

T.  to  K.,15  m. ;  4I  hrs.  Across 
chain  forming  left  flank  of 
the  valley  of  the  Yang  pi. 
Fir  forests.  By  Niou-ka 
and  Ouafoulou.  Traversed 
chain  separating  waters  of 
Mekong  and  Red  Rivers. 

24     „ 

Chantitang 

84° 

55 

\\'. 

3 

Cloudy, 
but  fine. 

K.  to  C,  16  m.;  6^  hrs.  By 
Chi  -  tsou  -  kai.  Over  col 
8229  ft.  dominating  plain  of 
Meng-hua-ting. 

25     ,> 

'I'a-chang 

n 

62' 

)) 

]''air. 

C.  to  T.,  22i  m.;  yh  hrs. 
Reached  Meng  -  hua  ■  ting 
plain  at  Oupalan  village. 
Crossed  an  insignificant 
source  of  Red  River.  Re- 
joined paved  road  from 
Meng-hua  to  Tali  at  Pou- 
tcha-chou.  By  Miao-kai 
and  Ming-cheu,  large  vil- 
lages. Plain  fertile.  Popu- 
lation dense. 

26     „ 

'I'ali-Fou 

»? 

55° 

?j 

3 

Overcast. 
Rainy. 

T.  to  Tali-Fou  (town  of  first 
rank  :  residence  of  a  Taotai 
and  a  Tchentai.  Chief  com- 
mercial centre  of  VV.  Yiin- 
nan  ;  20,000  inhabitants  ; 
Catholic  Mission),  25  m. ; 
9  hrs.  From  Meng-hua  plain 
to  that  of  Tali  by  col. 
Through  town  of  Chia- 
Kouan,  5000  inhabitants. 

27     „ 

6S° 

53 

>' 

t 

Continu- 
ous rain. 

From  26th  May  to  i6th  June, 
halt  at  Tali-Fou. 

28     „ 

69° 

55° 

'J 

., 

ft 

29     ., 

68" 

60^ 

0  !    Overcast. 

3°     >. 

») 

57° 

5» 

„          Fair. 

31     .. 

69" 

61" 

JI 

! 
"1         " 

;88 


APPENDIX  A 


Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

s 

.1 

,3 
0 

1895. 

1  June 

2  „ 

3  „ 

4  „ 

5  >' 

6  „ 

7  ,. 

69° 

66° 
68° 
66° 
68^ 

67° 

57° 
55° 
59° 

J) 

57° 

55° 

J1 

Rain. 

Fair. 

Rain. 
Overcast. 

Rain. 

Fair. 
Very  fine. 

OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  CLIMATE  OF  SOUTH-WEST  YUNNAN 

As  throughout  the  whole  of  Central  Asia,  Yunnan  has  a  dry  season  and  a 
rainy  season,  influenced  by  the  N.E.  and  S.W.  monsoons.  The  dry  season  lasts 
from  the  ist  or  15th  of  October  to  the  1st  or  15th  of  May.  August  and  Sep- 
tember are  the  two  wettest  months  ;  during  which  swollen  torrents  and  torn-up 
roads  often  render  travelling  wholl)'  impossible.  Many  routes  are  only  to  be 
followed  by  caravans  during  the  dry  season,  amongst  which  was  the  one  taken 
by  us  from  Tayang-ka  to  Muong-le. 

But  this  general  rule  is  subject  to  many  natural  modifications  caused  by  the  trend 
of  the  mountain  chains,  altitudes,  etc.  In  winter,  for  example,  the  valley  of  the 
Red  River  is  completely  arid,  as  also  the  mountains  which  dominate  it,  to  a  height 
of  3000  feet  :  whilst  the  same  ranges  from  3000  feet  to  8000  feet  are  thickly 
wooded  and  frequently  enveloped  in  mists  and  rain. 

The  direction  of  the  wind  varies,  as  shown  in  the  foregoing  tables.  Generally 
speaking,  it  blows  from  the  south-east  during  the  dry  months,  and  from  the  west 
in  the  wet.  I  never  experienced  a  north  wind,  but  was  told  that  in  the  winter  it 
often  blows  hard  from  this  quarter  over  the  plain  of  Tali,  causing  wrecks  upon  the  lake. 

In  a  country  so  mountainous  as  Yiinnan  the  climate  alters  much  according  to 
altitude.  In  summer  the  valleys  of  the  Red  River,  the  Mekong,  and  the  Salwen,  the 
plains  of  Muong-le,  Ssumao,  Yiinchou,  and  the  portion  of  Yiinnan  formed  by  the 
basin  of  the  Yang-tse-kiang,  /.e.  the  lower  districts  from  2000  feet  to  4000  feet,  are 
subject  to  high  temperature,  91"  to  100"  in  the  daytime,  and  76'  to  86°  at  night; 
whereas  in  the  mountainous  regions  and  higher  plains  such  as  those  of  Tali, 
Meng-hua-ting,  Chunning-fou,  etc.,  from  4000  feet  to  7000  feet,  the  temperature 
remains  within  the  extremes  53°  and  82°.  The  climate  of  the  plain  of  Tali  (6929  feet) 
is  particularly  bracing. 

In  this  part  of  Yunnan  we  met  with  no  snow,  nor  did  we  sight  it  on  any  summits 
save  those  of  the  Tsang  Mountains  on  the  agth  May.  Certainl)'  we  were  only  there 
between  February  and  June.  The  Lolos  informed  us  that  in  the  end  of  November 
and  in  I  )eceniber  snow  falls  almost  every  year  on  the  chain  separating  the  Red  River 
from  the  Black  River,  but  that  it  never  lies  for  more  than  a  few  days  at  a  time.  The 
Tsang  Mountains  are  the  highest  in  South-\\'est  Yiinnan.  They  rise  on  the  west 
of  the  plain  of  Tali  to  an  average  height  of  1 1,500  feet,  with  some  peaks  of  1 2,500  feet 
and  13,000  feet,  and  are  covered  from  November  to  April.  Snow  also  falls  ever)' 
winter  in  the  plain  of  Tali,  but  does  not  lie. 

389 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


PART  II.  TALI-FOU  TO  INDIA 


My  notebook  containing  metforological  observations  and  details  of  our  march 
from  the  time  of  leaving  Tali  (i6th  June)  having  been  stolen  on  the  21st  of  July, 
Part  II.  must  be  taken  up  at  the  latter  date.  Between  June  16th  and  July  5th  the 
weather  had  been  fine  with  cloudless  sky  (an  unusual  condition  at  the  height  of  the 
rains),  rainy  from  July  sth  to  14th,  and  fair  again  from  the  14th  to  the  21st.  My 
maximum  and  minimum  registering  thermometers  were  stolen  at  the  same  time  ; 
thenceforth  I  took  the  temperatures  at  7  a.m.,  2  p.m.,  and  9  p.m. ;  and  their  mean  will 
give  as  nearly  as  possible  that  for  the  day. 


I'lace  of 

Thernionieter 
(Fahr.) 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

5 

Weather. 

Keniarlis. 

£ 

e 

E 

_o 

eS 

0. 

d. 

0 

0 

r^ 

M 

OS 

s 

i^ 

1S95. 

21  July 

Robbery  Camp 

0 

Lowering. 

From  Camp  at  Jeyang- 
sen  to  R.  Camp,  6  m.; 
2|hrs.  On  the  heights 
of  the  Mekong  right 
bank.  By  Patan  (Lis- 
sous)  and  Feoumoto 
(Lamasjen). 

22     „ 

>) 

)) 

Halt. 

23     .. 

Ta      Hsiao 
Chouan 

75' 

cSj" 

78° 

)J 

)) 

R.  Camp  to  T.,  9  m.;  3^ 
hrs.  By  Tchen-kioue- 
(Lamasjen).  Peak 
above  Mekong,  here 
rolling  in  deep  gorge. 
Across  two  torrents, 
affluents  of  the  M. 

24     „ 

Tsiten     . 

71° 

M 

68° 

s.w. 

3 

Fair. 

5  m.;  2i  hrs.  Route  very 
bad  and  dangerous, 
with  steep  slopes.  Tor- 
rent. 

25     » 

Keuntin  Kien 

73° 

80° 

69= 

" 

jj 

J) 

4  m.;  2  hrs.  Torrent. 
K.  (Lamasjen  village). 

26     „ 

Feoutsen 

77° 

" 

78' 

0 

Lowering. 

IT  m.;  4  hrs.  Torrents. 
Lamasjen  natives. 

27     „ 

Koutsen 

»J 

JJ 

73° 

j> 

Heavy  rain 
at  night. 

6  m.;  2  hrs.  Torrents. 
Lamasjen. 

28     „ 

Tie  Ho  . 

75°      71° 

68° 

»» 

Rain. 

7  m.;  3  hrs.     Route  very 

bad.     By  Jo  Ho  (La- 

masjen). Torrents  large. 

29     „ 

Se-tchong 

77°      82° 

71° 

11 

It 

7  m.;  3  hrs.  Torrents. 
Natives  Lamasjen.  By 
La-tchi-in. 

390 


APPENDIX  A 


Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

t« 

d. 

d. 

It 

(J 

c 

i^ 

w 

0 

c 

fe 

1895. 

30  July 

In-chouan 

68° 

84° 

75° 

0 

Fair. 

6m.;2ihours.  Torrents. 
VLamasjen. 

31     .. 

Sin-tchan-pin  . 

71° 

80° 

68° 

j> 

Very  fine. 

13m.;  45  hrs.  By  Tat- 
sou  (Lissous).  Three 
large  torrents.  Camp 
S.  (Lamasjen). 

I  Aug. 

Toti 

73° 

84° 

)) 

j» 

Fair. 
Rain  at 
night. 

12m.;  45^  hrs.     Followed 
brink  of  Mekong  one 
hour.       Crossed    river 
midday.        By    Petia.  ' 
Large     torrent.         T. 
(Lamasjen). 

2     „ 

Tolo 

JJ 

77° 

62° 

s. 

Rain. 

Crossing  torrents  all  day. 
8m.;3ihrs.  By  Hesel- 
eou  (Lissous),  Tolo 
(Lamasjen). 

3     >, 

Fong-chouan  . 

)) 

84° 

71° 

0 

Very  fine. 

1 1  m. ;  4  hrs.  Bad  wooden 
bridge  over  large  tor- 
rent. Long  very  steep 
climb  to  crest.  By 
Tsiki  (Lissous)  to  F., 
large  village  near  river 
(Lamasjen  and  a  few 
Chinese). 

4     „ 

75° 

82° 

71° 

J) 

2 

Rain. 

Halt. 

5     .. 

("amp  at  Sian- 
pin-chouan 

77° 

84° 

73° 

0 

Fair. 

6  m.;  if  hr.  Kept  on 
near  Mekong  bank. 
Route  very  bad.  By 
Tsipou  (Lissous)  to 
camp  beside  river. 
Sian.  (Lamasjen). 

6     „ 

Feast  Camp    . 

71° 

JJ 

n 

J) 

)> 

5  m.;  2  hrs.  Torrent.    By  , 
Poumeu         (Lissous). 
Camped   in  wood    by 
river ;  bad  ground. 

7     „ 

Lameti   . 

68" 

82° 

JJ 

J) 

>) 

6  m.;  2|  hrs.  Followed 
river :  then  climbed. 
By  Ouapoume  (Lis- 
sous) to  L.  Torrents 
as  usual.  No  track ; 
we  cut  one. 

8     „ 

Lometi   . 

69° 

80° 

71' 

)j 

J? 

L.  (Lissous),  4  j  m.;  2  hrs. 
Slept  by  river. 

391 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Tliermomeler 

Wind. 

Place  of 

(Kahr.). 

Date 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

cd 

d. 

1 

u 

0 

0 

l^ 

<N 

Ov 

p 

u. 

1895. 

9  Aug. 

Loza 

68" 

77" 

64" 

s. 

I 

Rain. 

8i  m.;  3]  hrs.  Steep 
climb  at  start.  Crossed 
high  cliff  falling  ab- 
ruptly to  river,  hive 
torrents ;  two  villages 
to  L.  (Lissous). 

10     „ 

Long-ka . 

69" 

80" 

71 

0 

Fair. 

To  L.  (Lamasjen,  a  few 
Chinese),  9  m.;  3I  hrs. 
By  Topa,  Mioua-ki, 
Chan-chia-la-he,  and 
Tilo,  all  Lissou  villages. 
By  Kitcha,  large  Mosso 
village  by  river  bank, 
which  followed.  Three 
torrents. 

I'     „ 

Into 

73 

82' 

73 

)) 

»J 

8i  m.;  3  hrs.  Followed 
river  bank  by  Noko, 
Lot-chan,  to  Into  (La- 
masjen and  Chinese). 
Opposite  Hsiao  Ouisi, 
with  Catholic  Mission. 

12     » 

Lokieou 

68° 

J) 

J) 

J) 

J» 

6  m.;  2  hrs.  Still  along 
river  by  Pe-lang-tong 
to  L.  (Lamasjen). 

•3     .. 

Haiwa    . 

M 

78" 

75" 

)) 

Cloudy. 

3  m.;  I  hr.   By  ( Jaisewa  to 
H. (Lamasjen  and  Chin.). 

r4     ,. 

>) 

" 

»1 

J) 

») 

Halt. 

15     " 

Halo 

■Si 

J) 

>» 

n 

)) 

7  m.;  2i  hrs.  Wooden 
bridge  over  torrent. 
By  Pintse  to  H. 
(Lamasjen). 

16     „ 

Lamaserai     of 
Kampou 

n 

" 

)) 

yj 

n 

8  m.:  3  hrs.  Crossed 
river  (Mekong)  by 
boat.  Followed  broad 
route  on  left  bank 
by  Tang  -  chan,  and 
Kouan-tso-pa  to  Kam- 
pou (two  large  villages ; 
residence  of  a  Mosso 
chief  or  Mokoua). 
Quitted  main  road. 
Up  through  pine  for- 
ests to  the  Lamaserai. 

APPENDIX  A 


Thermometer 

Wind. 

Place  of 

(Kahr.). 

Date. 

Obsen'ation. 

_o 

«s 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

ri 

c. 

d. 

3J 

a 

0 

r«^ 

M 

0 

a 

fe 

1895. 

I  7  Aug. 

Dekou    . 

68° 

78° 

75° 

0 

Showery. 

9in.;3jhrs.  By  Sintong, 
Gocha,  and  Yetche 
(residence  of  Mosso 
grand  chief,  the  Yetche 
Mokoua)  to  Dekou. 
Country  Mosso. 

18      „ 

Landou  . 

69° 

82° 

71° 

JJ 

Fair. 

i8|  m.;  7  hrs.  By  Mosso 
village  of  Ngaiwa, 
Palotso,  and  Dzeti ; 
large  Chinese  village 
of  Poutie,  to  Landou 
(Chinese-Mosso). 

19      >. 

Tsekou  . 

71° 

84° 

73^ 

JJ 

Slightly 
overcast. 

1 6  m.;  6  hrs.  Cross  stream 
by  Lota  (Thibetans). 
Narrow  gorges  as  far 
as  Ouoloulon  opposite 
Tsekou.  Passed  river 
(.Mekong)  by  rope 
bridge  at  Tsedjrong. 
Catholic  Mission  in 
Tsekou,  right  bank, 
330  feet  above  river. 

20      „ 

75' 

86' 

77° 

>j 

Rain. 

From      19th     to     23rd, 

21        „ 

JJ 

J) 

)» 

>j 

)) 

halt  at  Tsekou. 

22        „ 

)J 

)J 

J> 

JJ 

» 

23       „ 

J) 

J» 

JJ 

JJ 

J? 

24       „ 

Gotra     . 

73° 

80° 

73' 

j> 

Fair. 

13  ni.,  reckoned  from 
Tsedjrong:  5  hrs. 
By  Kiou-do-lon,  Sere, 
and  Tinango  to  Gotra. 
Here  a  hot  sulphur 
spring,  temp.  118°.' 

25       ,> 

Itsi 

68° 

82° 

71'^ 

N. 

I 

Very  fair. 

14^  m. ;  5  hrs.  Crossed 
to  left  bank  of  Mekong 
by  double-cord  bridge. 
By  Tsereton,  Latsa, 
and  Itsi.  Slept  in  an 
isolated  building  be- 
tween Latsa  and  Itsi. 
River  ran  in  long 
defiles.  Route  narrow 
and  dangerous. 

'  From  Tsekou  to  Atentse  all  villages  passed  were  Thibetan. 

393 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


riace  of 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Obsen'ation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

S 

s 

s 

_c 

^ 

rt 

d 

d. 

0 

0 

r^ 

w 

0 

k. 

■  895- 
26  Aug. 

Kinchu  . 

71° 

78° 

59° 

N. 

2 

Very  f 

2i|  m.;  7I  hrs.  By 
Gonia.  Scaled  high 
cliffs  by  Ki-ape.  Left 
Mekong  valley  for  that 
of  the  Atentse  R., 
which  ascended. 

27     .. 

Atentse  . 

55° 

71° 

51° 

0 

)» 

I J  m.;  40  min. 

28     „ 

Lon-kon-gon  . 

50° 

75° 

71° 

S. 

2 

Hazy. 

Return  to  Tsekou. 
1  Route  already  described. 

29  " 

30  ,- 

Latsa 
Tsekou  . 

69° 

80° 

73° 

)J 

3 
0 

Fair. 

From    ist  to  9th  Sept., 

halt  af  Tsekou.       No 

observations.  Weather 

overcast  and  threaten- 

ing,     with      showers. 

Temp.  73°  to  86°. 

10  Sept. 

Sere 

69° 

II     „ 

Last  camp  on 
the  Mekong 

57' 

75° 

69^ 

S.E. 

2 

Rain  in 
morning. 

After  leaving  Gotra, 
followed  river  bank 
by  narrow,  thickly 
wooded  (larch)  valley 
to  camp  on  left  bank 
of  large  torrent,  the 
Lili.     9  m.)             '   •  - 

12     „ 

Four       Tent 
Camp 

62° 

71° 

60^ 

S.W. 

3 

Cloudy, 
showery. 

5i  m. :  2i  hrs.  From 
mouth  of  valley  of 
R.  Lili  to  Londjre 
(Thibetans).  Thence 
ascent  of  left  bank, 
south  branch  of  that 
river. 

13     .. 

Tululu  Camp . 

55° 

51° 

50" 

0 

Rain. 

5^  m.;  2i  hrs.  Followed 
stream  at  first  at  a  dis- 
tance, afterwards  close. 
Crossed  left  to  right 
bank  by  wood  bridge. 
Mighty  forests. 

394 


APPENDIX  A 


Date. 


1895. 
14  Sept. 


Place  of 
Observation. 


Camp    of    the 
Pass 


15 


16     „ 


17     „ 


18     „ 


Rhododendron 
Camp 


R.      Donyon 
Camp 


Crest  Camp 


Meuradan 


19 


Tionra 


Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 


48° 


39 


5° 


55 


57 


59' 


5° 


55" 


62° 


57 


66^ 


71 


37 


55 


59 


62° 


73 


Wind. 


Weather. 


Rain. 


Fine  day. 
Wet  night. 


Fair. 


Rain. 


Fair. 


Remarks. 


61  m. :  3  hrs.  Gentle 
ascent,  right  bank. 
Then  very  stiff  climb 
through  forests. 
Camped  on  crest  of 
chain  separating  the 
Mekong  and  the  Sal- 
wen  at  12,837  ft.,  near 
Thibetan  hut.  Fine 
pastures. 

3  J  m.:  1 1  hr.  Passed 
two  affluents  of  R. 
Donyon.  Descended 
through  high  grass  and 
trees. 

5  m. ;  2 1  hrs.  Reached 
brink  of  R.  Donyon, 
which  followed  to  near 
a  bridge.  Camped  in 
clearing  made  by 
selves. 

3i  m.;  2ihrs.  CHmbed 
by  right  bank  to  peak. 
Camped  on  crest  of 
range  between  Rs. 
Salwen  and  Donyon. 

6  m.;  2^  hrs.  Followed 
crest.  At  branch  route 
to  Tchamoutong  took 
left  track.  Steep  de- 
scent to  R.  Donyon 
through  bamboo  woods 
and  long  grass.  Cross 
Donyon  to  Meuradan 
(Loutses). 

1 1  m.  Reascended  yes- 
terday's path.  Crossed 
crest,  and  descended 
towards  the  Salwen 
through  high  grass. 
Slept  at  Tionra 
(Loutses),  40  ft.  above 


395 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Place  of 

Thermometer 

(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

E 

Weather. 

Kcuiarks. 

ci 

5. 

s 

0 

r-* 

N 

0^ 

■q 

Oh 

1895. 

20  Sept. 

75" 

84^ 

71" 

s. 

I 

Very  fair. 

Halt  at  Tionra. 

21     „ 

71 

)) 

73 

JJ 

)> 

Fair. 

)» 

22     „ 

I'choton 

73° 

80° 

7'° 

»» 

2 

r„ 

Passage  of  the  Sahven  by 
boat.  Camp  opposite 
shore  near  Tchoton 
(Loutses). 

23     ., 

Londse  . 

68" 

78" 

69" 

0 

Cloudy. 

II  m.;  4  hrs.  Followed 
right  bank  of  river,  by 
Tchatsa.  Hydraulic 
mill  (Loutses). 

24     „ 

Djewan  . 

69^ 

77 

JJ 

JJ 

I 

Fair. 

6Am.;2hrs.  Continued 
by  Salwen  right  bank. 
By  Guisa  to  Djewan 
(Loutses). 

25     >, 

Nidji      . 

71' 

)J 

64" 

55 

>) 

>> 

2  m.  Up  course  of 
stream,  affluent  of  .Sal- 
wen.  Slept  in  single 
dwelling  at  Nidji 
(Lissous).' 

26     „ 

Big  (liff  Camp 

66" 

So° 

57° 

S.W. 

2 

Rain. 

3  m. ;  2  hrs.  Left  bank, 
torrent,  steep  gradient, 
high  grass.  Camp  on 
narrow  platform  above 
torrent. 

27     .. 

59' 

73" 

)) 

»> 

I 

«j 

Halt. 

28     „ 

Snow  ("amp    . 

)J 

59' 

46^ 

0 

Fair. 
Brief 
storm. 

7  m. :  4  hrs.  .\brupt 
scramble.  Thick 
forest.  Camp  on  bare 
plateau  near  huge 
snow  mass.  Route 
severe  and  dangerous. 

29     .. 

Tamalo  . 

46" 

68' 

68" 

N.W. 

I 

Fair. 

8i  m. ;  4|  hrs.  Stiff 
climb  to  col,  12,830 
ft.,  surmounted  at 
1.47  p.m.  Stunted 
shrubs  and  moss  on 
crest.  Descent  into 
bamboo  brake,  then 
long  grass.  Tamalo 
(Lissous  and  Loutses). 

'  l''rom  leaving  the  .Salwen  until  reaching  India,  tracks  impracticable  for  animals  loaded  or  not,  e.'ccepl  in  the  plain  of 
Khamti. 


APPENDIX  A 


Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind 

Date. 

Observation. 

0 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

tj 

d 

D. 

t, 

i 

r.. 

« 

C> 

G 

u. 

1895. 

30  Sept. 

1  Oct. 

2  „ 

68" 
62° 

57° 

73" 
69° 

68° 

64" 

59° 
60° 

N.W. 

N. 

I 

>) 

0 

Fair. 

Cloudy. 

Rain. 

Halt     30th     Sept.     to 
-   3rd  Oct. 
Tamalo. 

3     .. 

.sy 

66 

»J 

J) 

jj 

4     .. 

Camp   of    the 
Loutse  Lady 

60" 

so" 

5°" 

J) 

jj 

2    m.:    2    hrs.      Crossed 
the  Poula  Ho.     Hard 
climb,  high  grass  and 
forest.     Bad   camping 
ground  beside  the  only 
spring     met    on    this 
march. 

5     .. 

Shingle  Camp 

46^ 

55 

48° 

W.N.W. 

2 

Uncertain. 

4  m.:  2|  hrs.    Passed  col 
traversing  Mangon  Ko 
chain.  Descended  into 
forest  to  camp  beside 
R.  Seke. 

6     „ 

Morass  Camp 

50 

51 

46° 

W. 

I 

Change- 
able. 
Shower)'. 

5  m. ;  3  hrs.    Reascended 
left    bank    R.    Seke: 
moderate  slope. 

7     ,. 

Camp      Belle- 
vue 

44° 

42" 

35° 

N.W. 

2 

Very  fair. 

9  m.  ;    4i  hrs.       Level 
ground,  with  pools  and 
swamps.     Later,  sharp 
gradients  to  col  cross- 
ing chain  of  separation 
between  upper  waters 
of    Sahven    and     Ira- 
wadi.          Surmounted 
second   higher  col   in 
lesser      range     before 
beginning  descent    to- 
wards the   Kiou-kiang. 

8     „ 

Dead       Men 
Camp 

41° 

68° 

53° 

N.E. 

I 

jj 

7  m.;  3i  hrs.   Downwards 
into    forest   and   long 
grass.        Camped     by 
deserted  Kiout.se  hut. 

9     .. 

Toulong 

48° 

71° 

51° 

•» 

») 

li    m.        lillage    began 
at     about     1000    feet 
above  the  Kiou-kiang". 
Kioutse  huts  scattered 
apart  on  hillsides. 

397 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Dale. 

Place  of 
Obsenation. 

Thermometer 
(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

c 

S 

B 

a 

.2 

6 

cd 

6. 

D. 

0 

0 

r^ 

w 

CT. 

a 

U. 

1895. 

I  0  Oct. 

II  „ 

5°° 
48° 

73° 
71° 

50° 

0 

Very  fair. 

Halt  at  Toulong  till 
1 2th. 

12        „ 

50° 

JJ 

51° 

)> 

>» 

13       ., 

Mosquito 
Camp 

>J 

73° 

64° 

N.E. 

2 

j» 

Descent    to    the    Kiou 
kiang. 

14       ., 

Aruikan . 

59° 

71° 

59° 

0 

Overcast. 
Light 
rain. 

i^  m.  ;  I  hr.  Crossed 
the  Kiou-kiang  by 
cord  bridge.  Thence 
climbed  through  long 

grass  to  isolated  dwell- 
ing, Aruikan. 

15       .. 

Anniversary 

55° 

68" 

60° 

S.E. 

I 

Very  fair. 

3m.;2hrs.  Redescended 

Camp 

and  pitched  by  river. 

High  grass. 

16       „ 

Deidoum 

59° 

ij 

55° 

S.W. 

>) 

>» 

3  m. :  2i  hrs.  Up  cliff. 
Half  an  hour  steep 
descent  to  R.  Tatei, 
which   crossed.       Lay 

at  Deidoum  (Kioutses) 

for  night.     Track  very 

bad  and  perilous. 

17       » 

Great        Slide 
Camp 

53° 

69° 

>» 

S. 

>J 

)) 

4  m.  ;  2  J  hrs.  Stream. 
Scarp.  Col.  Sur- 
mounted, and  camped 
below  by  river. 

18       „ 

1 

Ladder  Camp 

51° 

71° 

53° 

0 

■) 

31  m.  ;  2  hrs.  Skirted 
edge  of  the  river  among 
rocks  or  a  little  above 
in  the  woods.  Camped 
on  sand  spit. 

19       ,. 

Hollow    Rock 
Camp 

55° 

)) 

)» 

)> 

ii 

i|  m. ;  I J  hr.  By  the 
river. 

20       „ 

Nine     PM  r  e 
Camp 

50° 

68° 

48^ 

)) 

)) 

4  m.;  2  J  hrs.  Crossed 
River  Madoumadon. 
Climbed      through 

forests  and  high  grass 

to  crest  between  this 

■ 

river  valley  and  that  of 

the  Kiou-kiang.  No 
water  from  R.  Madou- 
madon till  camp. 

598 


APPENDIX  A 


Place  of 

Thermometer 

(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

rt 

S 

d. 

,0 
1 

0 

r^ 

« 

0 

G 

fc. 

1895. 

21  Oct. 

Moss  Camp    . 

51° 

64° 

42° 

0 

Fair. 

3  m.  ;  2  hrs.  Forests. 
Camped  a  little  short 
of  col. 

22      „ 

Camp    of    the 
River     Tet- 
chen 

46° 

JJ 

57° 

)» 

Drizzle. 

4  m.  ;  2  hrs.  Over  col. 
Down  through  forests. 
No  water  till  river 
reached. 

23      >, 

Tukiu  Mu 

59° 

66° 

»> 

S.W. 

2 

J) 

5  m.:  3  hrs.  Crossed 
several  hills  and  streams 
in  descent  to  the  Kiou- 
kiang  brink.  Leaving 
river,  ascended,  and 
passed  night  in  one  of 
scattered  Kioutse 
dwellings. 

24     „ 

55° 

68° 

59° 

n 

I 

)) 

25      » 

57° 

69° 

)) 

)) 

j» 

J) 

-Halt  till  26th. 

26     „ 

55° 

68° 

57° 

)> 

2 

Heavy  rain. 

27      ,. 

Deluge  Camp 

53° 

69° 

J» 

)» 

>) 

»j 

3  m.;  r  i  hr.  Passed  the 
R.  Geling  by  self-made 
bamboo  bridge.  Scaled 
crest  between  the 
Geling  and  the  Tukiu 
Mu.  F'oUowed  to  con- 
fluence of  latter  with 
Kiou-kiang. 

28     „ 

Safety  Camp  . 

59° 

73° 

)) 

0 

Fair. 

^  m.  Crossed  the  Tukiu 
Mu  by  cord  bridge. 
Followed  course  of 
Kiou-kiang. 

29     ., 

Camp    of    the 
Leeches 

57° 

71° 

59° 

>» 

)» 

4^  m. ;  4  hrs.  Continued 
by  river.  Camp  on 
small  beach. 

30     ,, 

Camp    of    the 
R.  Dublu 

59° 

73° 

60° 

»> 

6^  m. ;  4i  hrs.  Along  the 
Kiou-kiang  for  li  hr. 
Then  mounted  chain 
separating  it  from  R. 
Dublu.  Camped  by 
confluence  of  Dublu 
and  Telo. 

399 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Thennonieter 

Place  of 

(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Date. 

Observation. 

c 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

g 

^ 

It 

a 

c 

r^ 

M 

0^ 

s 

U. 

1805. 

31   OCX. 

Mandoum 

53° 

68° 

59° 

0 

Cloudy. 

I  m. ;  I  hr.  Bridged  the 
Dublu  with  bamboos. 
Also  liana  bridge. 
Ascended  left  bank  of 
R.  Telo.  Camped  in 
bamboo  brake  near 
Mandoum  (Kioutses). 

I  Nov. 

Cam])    of    the 
R.  'I'clo 

55° 

64° 

)J 

)) 

Fair. 

I },  m.  Rafted  over  Telo. 
Up  right  bank.  Crossed 
Telou  torrent. 

2     „ 

Terrace  Camp 

53° 

60° 

55° 

)» 

Very  fair. 

4  m. ;  3]  hrs.  Climbed 
along  right  flank  crest 
of  Telou  valley.  No 
water. 

3     " 

Camp    of   the 
R.Reunnam 

48^ 

64° 

60° 

J) 

Overcast. 

4I  m. ;  3  hrs.  Forests. 
Crossed  col.  Camped 
by  R.  Reunnam. 

4     ,, 

Camp  of  Dia- 
mai's  Death 

53° 

69° 

>) 

n 

Heavy 
rain. 

3^  m. ;  4  hrs.  Marched 
in  water.  Bed  of  tor- 
rent. 

5     .. 

I  )uma     . 
(No.  .) 

57" 

71° 

»» 

)» 

Continu- 
ous rain. 

4i  m. ;  3^  hr.s.  Followed 
the  Reunnam  to  con- 
fluence of  the  Wan  Ou. 
Struck  off  on  left  bank 
to  interior.  Slept  at 
Duma  (Kioutses). 

6     „ 

59° 

68° 

64° 

.s.w. 

3 

Incessant 
rain. 

Halt. 

7     „ 

1  )uma     . 

(No.  2) 

57° 

60° 

57° 

0 

Fair. 

S  m. ;  3  hrs.  Brink  of 
Sinbinto  its  confluence 
with  Reunnam,  which 
crossed.  Mountain, 
forest,  stream.  Slept  at 
another  Duma  (Kiout- 
ses). 

8     „ 

Dzon       Redzi 
Camp 

55° 

59" 

55° 

)) 

)) 

4  m.;  2f  hrs.  Same 
struggles. 

9     .. 

Long     Crest 
Camp 

)» 

59° 

» 

») 

Cloudy. 
Showery. 

7  m. ;  3^  hrs.  After  cross- 
ing two  streams,  kept 
on  long  spur.  Better 
forest  track. 

400 


APPENDIX  A 


Thermometer 

Wind 

Date. 

Place  of 
Observation. 

(Kahr.). 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

c 

B 

s        s 

_0 

0 

rt 

d.          a- 

tj 

0 

0 

r^ 

N 

o\ 

fe 

1895. 

10  Nov. 

Camp    of   the 
R.  Tsan 

57° 

68° 

60- 

0 

Fair. 

6  m. ;  3  hrs.  Descent 
beside  the  Pinti  to  its 
confluence  with  R. 
Tsan. 

II      ., 

Big  Dam  Camp 

55° 

69" 

59° 

J) 

J) 

6  m. ;  4  hrs.  Up  left  bank 
of  Tsan,  first  wooded, 
then  rocky.  Crossed 
it  by  a  large  fish-dam 
(Kioutses). 

12      „ 

Pandam. 

57° 

66° 

>) 

w. 

2 

j> 

5  m. ;  4  hrs.  Remounted 
right  bank  of  Tsan  to 
its  confluence  with  the 
Pandam,  which  fol- 
lowed to  village  of 
same  name  among  rice- 
fields  (Kioutses). 

1.3      ,> 

... 

)» 

62° 

60° 

0 

Heavy 

-Halt. 

rain. 

14      -. 

J) 

68° 

)J 

N. 

I 

Fair. 

; 

15      .. 

Melekeu 

59° 

71° 

a 

0 

)) 

5i  m. ;  2  hrs.  Followed 
Pandam  to  its  junction 
with  Nam  Lian.  Quit- 
ted stream  for  woods 
on  left.  To  Melekeu 
(Kioutses).  Good 
forest  track. 

16      „ 

Delou     . 

57° 

73° 

55' 

JJ 

)) 

1 1  m. ;  4i  hrs.  Recrossed 
Nam  Lian.  Over  col 
in  Leke  chain,  to  D. 
(Kioutses). 

17      .. 

Tobacco  Camp 

55° 

77° 

60" 

)» 

It 

2  m. ;  I  hr.  Torrent, 
above  right  bank  of 
which  camped. 

18      „ 

Camp    of    the 

60° 

75"       .. 

>) 

») 

10  m.;  4i  hrs.     Descent 

Plain 

to  brink  of  the  Nam 
Chom.  Along  valley, 
path  opening. 
Emerged  from  forests, 
and      debouched     on 

great  plain  of  Khamti. 

2   C 


401 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Thermometer 

I'lacc  of 

(Fahr.). 

Wind. 

Dale. 

Observation. 

.1 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

C 

S 

S 

J! 

rt 

d 

d. 

'-> 

S 

r^ 

r4 

0^ 

.- 

u. 

^~* 

1 

>895- 

19  Nov. 

K    h  .1  ni   t   i 
(Padao) 

57' 

77°  1  57" 

1 

0        In  plain 
i)f  Khamti, 

Hi  m.;  2. J  hrs.  On  the 
flat.    Crossed  the  Nam 

fog  every 

Kiou  near  'I'san  Kan 

morning 

(large  Khamti  village) : 

till  9  a.m., 

again   by  boat  (width, 

then 

1 30  yards  ;   depth,  1 0 

splendid 

feet ;  current  sluggish). 

day. 

i'orded  the  Nam-Sai. 
By    boat    across    the 

Nam   Pela   (could    be 

forded).       Several   vil- 

lages.      Crossed     the 

N  a  m     T  0  u  n,    and 

reached    Padao    or 

I'utau,   the   capital    of 

Khamti. 

20     ,, 

53' 

75° 

59' 

N.N.W. 

I 

21     „ 

51° 

77° 

)» 

N. 

)• 

22     ., 

50° 

75° 

)) 

0 

)  Halt  at  Khamti. 

23     ■• 

5'° 

77° 

57" 

N.N.W. 

2 

) 

24     „ 

5°' 

75° 

)) 

11 

I 

25     .. 

.Signal  ( 'amp  . 

48° 

73° 

»» 

0 

6  m. ;  2  hrs.  In  the  i)lain. 
Confluence  of  the  Nam 
'I'aheu  with  the  Nam 
I'ela.      By  I.omking. 

26     „ 

•Singleng 

5° 

59' 

5'' 

'» 

X'ery  fair. 

9  m. ;  4i  hrs.  t'rom  bank 
of  the     Nam     Kokao 

began    to    ascend    at 

first      gently.        After 

cro.ssing  Nam  Taheu, 

steep  to  col.     Torrents 

and   slight  descent  to 

Singleng  ( Kioutses). 

27     .. 

46- 

68° 

55° 

»» 

)) 

Halt. 

28     „ 

l''alsc    Start 
("amp 

4S' 

71" 

57° 

i» 

Fair  to 
overcast. 

3  m. ;  li  hr.  Passed 
Cheulemi,  last  Kioutse 

hamlet. 

29     .- 

Camp    of    the 
Nam  Lang 

5°' 

59° 

55° 

2 

Cloudy. 
Slight  sleet. 

5  m. ;  3  hrs.  The  Nam 
Lang  joined  by  the 
Nam  Sanglian.  Fol- 
lowed   left    bank    and 

crossed  by  raft. 

40: 


APPENDIX  A 


Thermometer        |         wipfl 

Date. 

I'lac-f  .if 
Ohscrvalion. 

hahr.). 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

^ 

2' 

s 

s 

0 

rt 

d. 

d 

0     . 

. 

1^ 

N 

c^ 

2 

u* 

1895- 
30  Nov. 

Camp   of    the 

53° 

57" 

51° 

0 

Cloudy. 

4   m.;  4  hrs.    Confluence 

Nam  Tsai 

1  Slight  sleet. 

of  Nam  Lang  and  Nam 

Tsai.   Ascended  bed  of 

1 

Nam  Tsai  in  the  water. 

I    I  )ec. 

Camp    of    the 

51" 

50° 

)) 

Fair. 

5  m.;  4  hrs.    Quitted  the 

Oucpoucot 

Nam  Tsai  after  il  hr. 
Up  through  woods 
over  col  Nam  Tsai 
Boum.       Camped    by 

the  Ouepoucot. 

2     „ 

Camp    c)t    the 
Nam   Phun- 
gan 

48° 

59°     5'° 

I 

J) 

)) 

5  m. ;  3^  hrs.  Traversed 
col  separating  Oue- 
poucot from  the  Nam 

Phungan. 

3     '1 

Hornbill  Camp 

46' 

57° 

50° 

jj 

)» 

S  m. ;  3^  hrs.  Held  on 
up  the  Nam  Phungan, 
cutting  affluent  Nam 
Moi.  Camped  by  the 
Nam  Phungan. 

4     ,- 

48' 

55° 

42° 

" 

,, 

I 

5     .. 

42' 

5°° 

46° 

N.W. 

I 

,, 

-   Halt. 

6     „ 

)> 

46° 

41° 

0 

.,, 

j 

7     V 

Camp    of    the 

37' 

42'  ;  33' 

j» 

,, 

4i  m.;  4  hrs.     Course  of 

Altars 

the  Nam  Phungan. 

8     „ 

India  Camp    . 

32' 

37' 

35' 

)) 

1) 

4  m.;  4 J  hrs.  Climbing 
the  col  separating  the 
waters  of  the  Brahma- 
putra and  the  Ira- 
wadi.  Crossed  it  at 
9875  ft.  in  2  ft.  of  snow. 
Began  descent  by  spur. 
( "amped  in  forest. 
Water  rare  and  brackish. 

9     .. 

Camp    of    the 
R.  Dapha 

37" 

44' 

44' 

;) 

Cloudy. 

6  m.;  3  hrs.  Continued 
descent  of  spurs. 
Passed    confluence    of 

two  sources  of  R.  Dapha, 

which     then    followed 

down. 

to     „ 

Fever  ( 'amp    . 

41° 

51° 

J) 

W. 

I 

Fair. 

4  m.;  2  hrs.  Quitted  the 
1  )apha  valley  for  ascent 
through  woods  on  left. 
Camped  in  clearing. 

403 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


I 'lace  of 

Thermometer               ,,..    , 
(Kahr.).             1        ^^'"•' 

1 

Dale. 

Observation. 

S 

Weather. 

Remarks. 

E 

=■ 

P            .2 

i 

rt 

D. 

Q.     !        S 

,0 

t^ 

N 

Ov 

s 

X 

1895. 

1 1    Dec. 

Summit  Camp 

37" 

48' 

42° 

0 

Snow. 

3i  m. ;  2i  hrs.  Climbed 
in  forests.  Camped 
on  summit  of  chain 
dividing  the  1  )ihing 
and  the  1  )apha.  Water- 
less route  ;  a  few 
muddy  pools  on  crest. 

Coolie  Camp  . 

39°      5° 

57° 

») 

Heavy 

9    m. ;  5  hrs.     Long  de- 

rain. 

scent.  Camped  by 
affluent  of  Dihing.  Only 
one  spring  on  march. 

13     .. 

Camp    of   the 
R.  Dihing 

51° 

62° 

11 

)' 

Fair. 

6  m. ;  4i  hrs.  Tracked  a 
stream  to  its  confluence 
with  the  Dihing. 
Camped  right  bank. 

14     .. 

Castaway 
Camp 

50° 

68° 

64° 

n 

" 

I  i  m. ;  1  hr.  Descended 
the  Dihing,  cutting  it 
three  times.  Camped 
left  bank. 

15     .. 

Camp  of  Clood 
News 

53 

7'° 

62° 

» 

»» 

.',  m.  Camped  right 
bank.  Note  :  Between 
the    third     ford     yes- 

terday and  the  crossing 

to-da)-  there  was    also 

a  path  on  right  bank. 

16     „ 

Clay    Cliff 
Camp 

5°' 

68' 

60° 

J) 

)i 

8i  m.  :  3i  hrs.  Down 
the  right  bank  of  the 
Dihing. 

17     „ 

Daphagang 

8    m.;   35  hrs.     Leaving 

the    Dihing,   mounted 

to  the  right.   At  Boun- 

iang  (Mishmis)  crossed 

the      R.     Dapha     by 

1 

bamboo    1)  r  i  d  g  e. 

Reached     Daphagang 

1 

3.21  p.m. (first  Singpho 

village  in  Assam). 

404 


APPENDIX  A 


From  Daphagang  to  Sadiya,  route  known.  From  Daphagang  to  Bishigaom, 
residence  of  a  Singpho  chief,  two  to  two  and  a  half  days'  march  (about  1 7  miles, 
no  village  on  the  route).     After  leaving  Bishi,  good  level  road. 

From  Bishigaom  to  Kagam,  cir.  6  miles.  Kagam  to  Mounan,  10  miles. 
(At  N'ling,  half-way,  route  practicable  for  elephants.) 

From  Nounan  to  Ninglou,  cir.  18  miles  (residence  of  principal  Singpho  chief). 
Ninglou  to  Sadiya  by  water  (Dihing  and  Brahmaputra),  8  hours.  Sadiya, 
residence  of  an  Assistant  Political  Officer  :  first  Hindu  town  and  European  post. 


OBSERVATION.S  ON  THE  CLIMATE  OF  NORTH-WEST  YUNNAN 
AND  OF  THE  UPPER  BASIN  OF  THE  IRAAVADI 

In  Yunnan  above  the  26th  lat.  the  two  seasons  (dry  and  rainy)  are  much 
less  marked  than  farther  to  the  south.  The  upper  valley  of  the  Mekong  (from 
the  25th  to  the  27th  lat.)  is  very  dry  ;  it  rarely  rains  there  even  in  the  summer. 
In  the  region  of  Hsiao-Ouisi,  Tsekou,  and  .Atentse  (27°  to  28°  30'  N.)  there  are 
two  rainy  seasons — one  from  July  to  the  end  of  September,  and  the  other  (the 
stronger)  in  February.  The  valley  of  the  Salwen  is  covered  with  thick  vegetation, 
and  must  be  damper  than  that  of  the  Mekong.  In  the  basin  of  the  Irawadi, 
which  shares  the  climatic  conditions  of  Indo-China,  the  two  seasons  are  well 
marked  ;  nevertheless,  the  foregoing  tables  show  that  in  the  height  of  the  dry 
season  we  had  rain  on  fourteen  days  out  of  sixty-seven  (from  the  ist  of  October 
to  the  7th  of  December).  According  to  the  natives,  the  summer  rains  are  both 
long  and  abundant,  a  fact  which  the  e.xuberance  of  the  vegetation  strongly  confirms. 

In  all  these  regions  (at  any  rate  in  the  seasons  when  we  traversed  them)  the  winds 
are  rare  and  light  in  force.  In  the  upper  basin  of  the  Irawadi  a  perpetual  calm 
reigns  throughout  the  winter,  the  blasts  from  the  north  being  stopped  by  the 
lofty  range  which  separates  this  basin  from  the  high  ground  of  Thibet. 

Except  on  a  few  crests  (the  summits  of  Likiang,  Dokerla,  Pemachou,  etc.), 
there  are  no  perennial  snows  on  the  mountains  of  North-West  Yunnan.  But  the 
great  chains  which  divide  the  Mekong  from  the  Yang-tse-kiang,  the  Mekong  from 
the  Salwen,  the  Salwen  from  the  Poula  Ho,  and  the  Poula  Ho  from  the  Irawadi,  are 
covered  with  snow  from  December  to  May,  and  cannot  (at  least  the  three  last) 
then  be  crossed.  In  the  winter  it  is  impossible  to  pass  from  the  Mekong  to 
the  Salwen  farther  north  than  the  col  of  Fev-long-kiao  at  Lao. 


[Supplementary  c;eoi;kai'hic.\l  Information. 

405 


FROM    TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


SUPPLEMEN1AR\    GEOGRAPHICAL  INFORMATION  GATHERED 

ON  THE  MARCH 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Sha-ha-ti      . 

POUX-KA 

Ta-yang-ka  . 

Lantcheu  or  La.mi 

NlI.UNG-HO 


La-ka-Ho  and  Laniou- 
Ho 


Mo\G-IE-TSIN-H(l 


MUONG-LK 


I'ARl'   1.   MONGTSR  to  SSUMAO 

From    Sha-ha-te   a   route  starts  which  joins    that    from 

Manhao  to  Muong-la  in  2  days  at  \an-pou-tien. 
(Direction  S.) 

From  Poun-ka  a  route  starts  leading  to  Muong-Teun  on 

the   Nam-Ka  (affluent  of  the  lilack  River).      [S.   20' 

w.]. 


Route  from  I'a-yang-ka  to  Talan,  4  or  5  days'  march. 
[N.  85°  W.]'  S/a^^cs-  {i)  Tuca  (30  li's,=  yi  m. 
cir.) ;  (2)  Tica-liang-tse  (90  lis,  22^  m.  cir.) ;  (3)  Sin- 
pin-you  (50  lis,  i2i  m.  dr.);  (4)  Seu-Koue  (60  lis, 
15  m.  cir.) :  (5)  Talan  (20  lis,  5  m.  cir.). 

Mule  path  from  Lantcheu  to  Muong-la  along  valley  of 
the  Nam-Na.  [S.  50'  E.]  10  days  from  Lantcheu 
to  Muong-Teun,  and  10  days  from  Muong-Teun  to 
Muong-la. 

The  Nilung-Ho  should  be  an  affluent  of  the  Black 
River  (Ly-sien-kiang),  junction  near  large  Chinese 
village  called  Latan  (?) 

The  La-ka-Ho  is  an  affluent  of  the  Laniou-Ho,  which 
must  itself  flow  into  the  Senan-kiang  (an  important 
affluent  on  left  bank  of  the  Ly-sien-kiang,  according 
to  the  natives). 

The  Mo-te-Ho  and  the  Menling-Ho  unite  to  form  the 
Mong-ie-tsin-Ho,  an  important  branch  of  the  Ly-sien- 
kiang.  Confluence  with  the  latter  is  in  the  district  of 
Talan. 


65' 


E.] 


Routes  starting  from  Muong-le  : — 

1.  Towards  Lai-chau  (Pavie  map).     [S. 

2.  Towards   Ipang  and    the   tea    districts  :    about    6 

days.  [S.  50°  W.]  Stages  or  principal  villages 
t'H  route  —  Ta-tso-bang,  Tchin-seu,  Eul-tong, 
Koua-tson-lin,  Men-penting,  Mou-lou. 

3.  Towards  Ssumao.      (Marked  on  my  map.) 

4.  Towards  Poueul,  7  days.      [N.  55'  W.]      Stages — 

(i)  Sen-kia-tsen  ;  (2)  Pouking ;  (3)  Tchang-pin  ; 
(4)  Men-ka-Di  ;  (5)  Ti-tchong-o  :  (6)  Meng-sin- 
Ka. 


'  The   directions  in  upright  brackets  are  those  of  a  line  as  the  crow  flies  between  the  points  of 
departure  and  arrival. 

-  In  Yunnan  the  li  is  approximate!)'  et|\ial  to  439  yards. 

406 


APPENDIX  A 


Point  (»f  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  aljout 
which  Infoniiation  was  col- 
lected. 


Cheun-Long-Ho  (Nam 
Bang) 


SSUMAO 


MONGPAN 


The  Cheun-Long-Ho  has  its  source  about  2  days  N. 
of  Muong-Hsien,  a  village  3  days  from  Tchen-Lao  up 
the  river.  Down  stream  it  flows  by  Xien-tong, 
residence  of  a  Pai  chief  subject  to  China.  A  route 
leads  from  Tchen-lao  to  Xien-tong  in  2  days  (sleep  at 
Hsiao-Teou). 

The  Cheun-Long-Ho  is  the  source  of  the  Nam  Bang,  a 
large  affluent  of  the  Mekong. 


Routes  starting  from  Ssumao  : 


Poueul, 


2    days. 
7  to  8  days 


davs. 


( Fr.  ( larnier  and 
;.  (Marked  on  my 
(Bourne  and  Col- 
(iarnier.) 


[S.   50    \V.]      Fol- 


Towards 
Bourne.) 

Towards  Muong-le 
map.) 

Towards     I  pang,     6 
quhoun.) 

To  Xien-Houng,  9  days.     (Fr. 

Towards  Mong-Wan,  7  days, 
lows  the  Dayakeu  road  {z:  my  map)  for  4  days, 
branching  at  Long-tang. 

From  Long-tang  to  Mong-Wan,  3^  days.  Slages 
— (i)  Lin-Koua-ten  ;  (2)  Tchen-kong,  cross  the 
Tiouloun-kiang  (Mekong)  by  boat ;  (3)  Ba-fa-po, 
3^  days  to  Mong-Wan.  Road  good  and  fre- 
quented. 

Route  to  Mong-pan,  6  to   7  days.      l^x.   33 
Stages — (i)    Sin-keu-tsong  :    (2) 
Poueul-Ho     (cross    this    river)  : 


[N-  55  ^v■] 
>La-nion  :  (3) 
(4)     Hsiao-he- 


kiang    (cross    this    river)  ; 
Mong-tchu  :  (7)  Mong-pan. 


(5)     Pan-ha-tse  :    (6) 


PART  IL  SSUMAO  TO  MEXG-HUA-IIXC 


Route  starting  from  Mong-pan  : — 

1.  Towards    Mong-ka,    2    days.       (Marked    on    my 

map.) 

2.  Towards  Mong-tchou  (30  lis,  7^  m.  cir.),  important 

centre   inhabited    by   the    same    population    as 
Mong-pan  (Pais,  Chinese,  and  Lokais). 

3.  Towards  Poueul,   5  days.      [S.  55'  E.]      Stages — 

( i)  Tchang-liang-sen  ;  (2)  Pa-te-liang  :  (3)  Tatien  ; 
(4)  Kan-tien  ;  (5)  Poueul. 

4.  Towards  Chouen-lo.     (Marked  on  my  map.) 

5.  Towards  Ssumao  ;  described  above. 


40; 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


MONO-KA 


Chuen-Lo 


Tachin 
suyen-kia.\( 


Tamano 

LiNGUEU 


1.  To  Poueul,  4  long  days.     [E.  as  far  as  Ouei-yuen, 

then    S.    25'    E.]      S/aj^es  —  (i)   Salafang ;     (2) 

Ouei-yuen  ;  (3)  Sisa  :  (4)  Poueul. 

JVo/e.  —  From  confirmed  information,  Ouei- 
yuen  is  not  in  the  N.E.  as  marked  on  the 
Chinese  maps  and  from  them  copied  into 
European  mapii.  Ouei-yuen  is  a  fairly  im- 
portant centre,  near  which  are  the  two  large 
salt  mines  of  Hsiang-ien-Kin  and  Lang-chou- 
Kin  (latter  i  day  N.  of  OueV-yuen). 

2.  There  is  a  route    from    Poueul    into    liurmah    by 

Teng-Vueh,  passing  iNFong-ka  and  Tapong  (ferry 
over  Mekong  on  the  Mong-ka — Mienning  route). 
From  Tapong  to  Teng-Yueh,  about  2 1  days'  march. 
[N.  8°  \V.  as  far  as  Keng-Ma,  then  N.  35°  W. 
approximately.]  Sfa^s^es — (i)  Tamano  ;  (2)  Sang- 
Kaichin  ;  (3)  Monsa  ;  (6)  Keng-Ma;  (12)  Chen- 
Kang  :  (14)  Passage  of  the  Sal  wen  ;  (21)  Teng- 
Yueh. 

3.  There  must  be  a  route  from  Mong-ka  to  Tali-Fou 

of  which  the  first  stages  would  be — (i)  Ouen- 
Cong;  (2)  Mong-Lo ;  (3)  Taopicai.  I  could 
not  trace  it  farther. 

1.  From  Chuen-Lo  to  Mong-Lang,  3  days,  by  Tachio- 

Ten,  Mong-long-co,  Sihai,  and  Toung-chewan. 
[Ceneral  direction  .S.  70°  W.J  Mong-Lang  is  an 
important  centre  and  the  residence  of  a  mandarin 
with  the  title  7/V/!,^ 

2.  From  Chuen-Lo  a  route  starts  W.N.W".  to  Ninhai, 

I  day,  by  Ningoua  and  Mong-Kin.  By  continu- 
ing in  this  direction  one  would  come  upon  the 
independent  li-Kcnfus  (?)  (/<•  means  wild).  The 
Chinese  account  of  them  is  that  they  live  nearly 
naked  and  are  armed  with  lances  and  poisoned 
arrows. 
Three  days  W.  of  Tachin  are  silver  mines  in  process  of 

working  ;  Mona-Chang. 
At    the   confluence   of  the   Sekiang   and   the   Mekong, 
which  here  at  the  ferry  bears  the  local  name  of  Suyen- 
kiang.     A  route  starts  hence   to  Ya-Kou,  Ka-Kong, 
Momi,   and    Molo,    districts    situated    between    the 
Mekong    and    the    route    from    Mong-ka   to   Mong- 
pan. 
From  Tamano  to  Muong-Moun,  i  day. 
From    Lingueu    to     Tapong   (Mekong),    i    to    2    days 
S.^V. 


408 


APPENDIX  A 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


MiENNING 


Nan-Ting-Ho 


Yi'NCHOU 


KlANoPlX 


Yu.\-Loxg-Cheou 


Fev-Loxg-Kiao 


Routes  from  Mienning  : — 

1.  Main    road  to  Yiinchou,  4  days  at   15  m.  a  daw 

[N.  10'  E.]  Stages — (i)  Lating  ;  {2)  You-Ouan- 
chui ;    {3)  Taou-Tao-chui :  (4)  Yiinchou. 

2.  From  Taou-Tao-chui  there  is  a  straight  road  to 

Chunning-Fou  in  4  short  days.  [N.  35°  W.]  By 
this  route  it  is  7  days  from  Mienning  to  Chunning- 
Fou  :  thus  :  4th  day,  Leu-peu-ten-kai  :  5  th,  Lima- 
chin-ivai :  6th,  Mong-La  ;  7th,  Chunning-Fou. 

3.  From  Ling-chin-kai   to    Chunning-Fou  there  is  a 

third  route,  making  an  elbow  to  the  W.,  5  days  : 
1st — ?;  2nd,  Sila  ;  3rd,  Hsiao-tia  ;  4th,  Ouang- 
chen-konen  :  5th,  Chunning-Fou. 

4.  From  Mienning  to  Mong-Moun  :  no  details. 

5.  From     Mienning   to    the    Mekong,    ferry  at    Kali. 

(Marked  on  my  map.) 

6.  Another  route  from  Mienning  to  the  Mekong,  ferry 

at  Mata,  2  days  E.S.E. 

This  river,  which  passes  near  Pochan  and  Mienning,  and 
of  which  we  discovered  the  sources  above  Ponchan, 
is  a  large  affluent  of  the  Salwen,  which  it  joins  a  little 
below  Aleng-Ting. 

Direct  route  from  Yunchou  to  Meng-Hua-Ting  and  Tali- 
Fou,  8  days  [N.  15"  E.]  at  15  m.  a  day;  thus:  (i) 
Mong-Lan  :  (2)  Chao-Kai ;  (3)  Chen-Tchou-Ton  (cross 
the  Mekong):  (4)  Kong-Lan  ;  (5)  Kilung;  (6)  Lo- 
Tchiou  ;  ( 7 )  Tcha-fang-Sao  ;  (8)  Meng-Hua-Ting. 


PART  III.   MEXG-HUA-TING 
FONG-CHOUAN 


TO 


Is  a  stage  on  a  route  from  Chen-chuan-cheou  to  Yang-pi. 
[Kiang-Pin  to  Chen-chuan  N.  10°  E.  ;  Kiang-Pin  to 
Yang-pi  S.  25°  E.]  Stages— (i)  Cha-ki ;  (2)  — ? ;  (3) 
Kiang-Pin  ;  (4)  Kiao-cheou  (salt) :  (5 )  — ?  :  (6)  Yang-pi. 

Route  from  Yiinlong-cheou  to  Yiing-chang-fou,  9  days. 
[S.  15'  W.]  Stages — (i)  Hsin-Kiao-La-Tchao  ;  (2) 
Kang-haitse  :  (3)  — ?  ;  (4)  Yiing-pin  ;  (5)  Lao-Kiao 
(cross  the  Mekong);  (6)  Cha-yong  ;  (7)  Chouitchai ; 
(8)  Pan-kiao  (where  the  route  from  Tali  to  Yiing- 
chang  is  joined)  ;  (9)  Yiing-chang-fou. 

From  Fey-Long-Kiao  to  Lou-kiang-Pa  (.Salwen),  7  days. 
[S.S.W.]  Stages — (i)  Kieoui-tcheou  ;  (2)  Toten  ; 
(3)  Tsao-kiang  ;  (4)  Sou-Tchoui ;  (5)  (6)—?;  (7)  Lou- 
kiang-Pa  (this  must  be  the  ferry  of  that  name  on  the 
Salwen  in  the  route  from  Tali  to  Bhamo  in  25°  N.). 


409 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  alnjiil 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Fey-Long-Kiao — cont.  . 


LOUKOU 


Communications      bf- 
tween  the  mekong 

AND       THE      SaLWEN, 

AND   Names  of  Lis- 
sou  Villages   upon 

THE    LATTER    RiVER 


Route    by    the    left 

BANK.  OFTHeMeKONG 


From  Kieoui-tcheou  another  route  branches,  leading  in 
7  days  to  Yiing-chang-Fou.  [S.]  S/a^^es — (i)  'I'ong- 
Kien  ;  (2)  Loui-Tchouang ;  (3)  Li-Tchai-Pa  ;  (4)  Lo- 
Fou-Tchang  ;  (5)  Siho-Loa-Tchouang  ;  (6)  I'an-Kiao- 
Kai  (where  the  route  from  Yiin-long  to  ^'iiIlg-(■bang  is 
joined)  ;  (7)   Viing-chang-Fou. 

1.  Route    from    Loukou    to  Teng-\  ueh,   iS  to    10  days. 

[S.  40''  W'.]:  passing  (i)  Moupo;  (2)  Souko-choui ; 
(3)  Manyu  ;  (4)  Man-Kouan-Kai ;  (5)  Kaii-tin-Kai ; 
(6)  Ta-tang-tse  ;  (7)  Liou-kiang-pou  ;  (8)  Hsiao-Kai; 
(9)  Kuou-tchi-Kai ;  (10)  Ouei-Kai  ;  (11)  Koui-hai- 
tse :  (12)  Teng-Yueh. 

2.  Route   from    Loukou  into   the  country  of  the   I'ou- 

mans  (?).  Opened  within  the  last  few  years,  and  only 
for  pedestrians,  it  has  the  reputation  of  being  very 
unhealthy.  Ceneral  direction  W.  The  route  crosses 
the  Salwcn  and  the  great  range  behind,  in  which 
are  tea  plantations.  It  then  cuts  the  Hsiao-kiang, 
affluent  of  the  Long-Song-kiang,  a  large  river  that 
flows  into  Burmah  (no  doubt  the  Chouely).  In  this 
valley  the  natives  are  said  to  be  the  savage  Lansous(?). 
'I'hence  one  reaches  the  country  of  the  wild  Pou- 
inans,  where  the  My-le-kiang  has  its  course,  and 
fartherthe  I.ang-tchouan-kiang  near  English  confines. 
From  Loukou  to  the  Poumans'  territory  is  about  12 
days.  These  Poumans  must  be  the  same  as  the 
Kachins  or  Singphos  of  Upper  Burmah,  the  Lang- 
tchouan-kiang  must  be  the  eastern  branch  of  the 
Irawadi  (N'mai-Kha),  and  the  My-le-kiang  its 
western  branch  (Mali-Kha).  But  who  can  these 
I  -ansou  savages  be  ? 

3.  There  is  a  foot  track  up  the  right  bank  of  the  Sahven, 

by  which,  at  i  day's  distance  from  Loukou,  is 
reached  Tenkeu,  the  residence  of  a  toussou. 

Routes  crossing  the  mountain  chain  and  only  jmicticable 
for  pedestrians,  each  from  2  to  4  daj's'  march  ;  start — 

1.  From  Tse-Ho. 

2.  I-'rom  Teki,  bordering  on  Tasouin  (cord  bridge), 

whence   a  way  proceeds  towards  Upper  Bur- 
mah. 

3.  From  Fong-Chouan  to  Zali. 

Going  northward  from  Tasouin  are  found  Dapelou, 
Lomate,  Zali,  and  Ketseki. 
P'rom  Fey-Long-Kiao  a  mule  track  ascends  the  left  bank 
of  the  .Mekong. 


410 


APPENDIX  A 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  aljout 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Route    by    the    left 

BANK  OF  THE  MeKONc; 

— continued 


Mines . 


Routes  from  the  Me- 
kong TO  theSalwen. 
Lissou  Villages  on 

the  LATTER  RiVER 


From  Fey-Long-Kiao  to  Hsiao-Ouisi,  22  days.  Sta,s:;es — 
(i)  Chout-tchan  ;  (2)  Pe-tchi-tin  ;  (3)  Tang-pang  ;  (4) 
Kien-tsao-teoui  ;  (5)  Sse-tsin  (salt  mine)  ;  (6)  Fe-yang  ; 
(7)  Choui-tchou  ;  (8)  Chouen-tan-tsen  :  (9)  Tsin-men- 
Keou  ;  (10)  Pe-ti-pin  ;  (11)  Lakimi ;  (12)  V'iim-pan- 
Kai ;  (13)  Hoan-ten  ;  (14)  Choui-ho-ta  ;  (i5)Chiten; 
(16)  Tche-i-pin  ;  (17)  To-y  ;  (18)  Oueiten  ;  (19)  Tcha- 
Ho  ;  (20)  Pan-ti-tuen  ;  (21)  Pe-ki-suen  ;  (22)  Hsiao- 
Ouisi. 

From  Pe-ti-pin  (10)  there  is  a  route  in  the  direction 
of  Ly-kiang-F"ou,  5  days,  passing  Chen-chuan-cheou. 
[N.  75°W.]  This  path  can  only  join  the  actual  river 
bank  at  Yiim-pan-KaL 

Almost  opposite  Tolo  on  the  bank  of  the  Mekong  are 
three  mines  : — 

1.  Near  Puiten,  small  gold  mine  called  Ta-fa-tchan, 

dependence  of  Ly-kiang,  distant  h  a  day. 

2.  Pi-li-ho,  in   the  vicinity  of  which  is  a  mountain 

named  Papao,  containing  much  gold  and  a  little 
silver,  at  i  day's  march. 

3.  Kong-kiang,  gold  mine,  i  day's  distance. 

Near   Ouisi    there    is  another  mine — Long-pan- 
tchan  ;  contains  much  silver  and  some  gold. 

P.VRT  I\'.   FONC-CHOUAN  TO   INDIA 

Continuing  N.  of  Zali  and  Ketseki  are  the  villages  of 
Losa,    Alidi,    Ladamili,    Ouatoudi    (cord    bridge   and 
boats).     Opposite  Ouatoudi  there  is  a  route  leading 
to  the  Kiou-kiang  (F>.  branch  of  the  Irawadi). 
I.   A  route  leaves  Kitcha  and  skirts  the  village  of  Nisa. 
doing  from  Nisa  southward  one  finds  the  following 
villages  along  the  river : — llo,  Hepeti,    Mecheu, 
Hetolo,    Aleuti,    Ouatchouko,    Lamouti,   Tayon, 
Chapo,  Latonguie,  Kalati,  Fontien. 
F'rom  Nisa  northward  : — Lissa,  Lamati,  Ouetchedo, 
Nysesalo,    Tcheti,    Lidzenoua,    Chemito,    Madji, 
Pongnidi,  Ooluga,  Latsati,  Poulatsa,  Yoko. 
2     Another  route  starting  from  Haiwa  reaches  the  Sahven 
at  Latsa  (near  which  is    Metaka,  on    the    height). 
From  Latsa  to  Tasou  from   i   to  2  days,  by  llaka 
and  Tanda. 
Names  of  villages  between  Tasou  and  Djewan  : —  Right 
bank — Daga,    Seugo,   Seuke,  Tadati,   Dalati,   Lopata, 
Tcheukou,  Macheuda,  Tsato,  Djewan.     Left  bank — 
Badiama,   Poladi,    Litedi,  lego,   Tchelanda,   Yuragan 
(just  opposite  Djewan). 


41  1 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Ate NTS K 


Route    to    Tsarong    and     I-ha(,a     (practicable     for 
mules). 

isf  Day:  Atent.se  to  Menkong  [N.  60°].  From 
Atentse  follow  the  road  from  Verkalo  as  far  as 
Dong,  then  branch  to  the  left  across  a  small 
range  and  descend  on  the  bank  of  the  Mekong  at 
Lieou-ten-kiao. 

ind  Day  :  Cross  the  Mekong  by  a  good  cord  bridge, 
and  ascend  the  right  bank  as  far  as  Merechu. 

yd,  ^/h,  and  ^/h  Days :  Three  days  are  necessary 
to  cross  the  great  chain  (very  lofty),  which  bears 
in  this  district  the  name  of  Milechan  (from 
Milefou,  a  god  worshipped  in  Thibet). 

Eve/iini;  of  ^th  Day :  Sleep  at  Latou,  near  the 
Oukio. 

dth  Day  :  Cross  the  Oukio  by  a  wooden  bridge. 
Traverse  a  small  chain,  and  sleep  at  Kiepo. 

7///  Day  :  Recross  the  Oukio  by  bridge  at  Kiepo. 
Surmount  a  chain,  and  sleep  at  Tchrana,  near  the 
left  Ijank  of  the  Salwen. 

Opposite  Tchrana  there  is  a  good  rope  bridge  ;  on 
the  other  side  stands  the  Lamaserai  of  Menkong. 

From  Tchrana  another  route  descends  on  Lakonra, 
Aben,  Longpou,  Songta,  and  Tchamoutong 
(Menkong  to  Tchamoutong,   7  days). 

From  Menkong  a  mule  track  leads  in  6  days  to 
the  prefecture  of  Sounga-Kieu-Dzong.  A  route 
leaves  this  town  in  the  direction  of  Ciamda  and 
Lhai^a  across  Pomi  by  Chiuden-(iomba.  This 
Pomi  (or  Poyul)  is  a  large  and  wholly  unexplored 
country,  which  stretches  to  the  west  of  the  pro- 
vince of  Tsarong  as  far  as  Giamda.  It  is  reputed 
full  of  brigands  and  dangers,  the  refuge  a[)[)arently 
of  ail  the  bandits  of  Thibet  (?). 

The  Lha^a  route  quits  the  one  just  described  at 
Latou,  near  the  Oukio,  and  ascends  the  course  of 
that  river  for  20  days  to  Pomda  (way  followed  by 
Father  Desgodins  from  Menkong  to  Tsiamdo). 
To  the  west  of  Pomda  spreads  a  wide  plateau,  the 
Tchan-tsao-pa,  which  takes  5  days  to  cross ;  after 
which  one  descends  on  to  the  Loutse-kiang 
(.Salwen),  which  is  spanned  by  a  bridge,  and 
finally  the  traveller  joins  the  Imperial  high  road 
from  Tatsien-lou  to  Lhaca  at  Oua-ho. 
Route  direct  to  Tatsien-lou,  through  the  country  of 

Meli  or  Houang-Lama,  34  days  at   1 2  or   1 5   m.  a 

day.     [N.  60°  E.]     Practicable  for  mules. 


41  2 


appp:ndix  a 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Ate  NTS  e — continued 


Landjre 


TOULONG 


Stages — (i)  Moulouchou  (pass  a  chain  before  enter- 
ing on  the  basin  of  the  Blue  River);  (2)  Tapin- 
tin  ;  (3)  Guiedam,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Kin- 
cha-kiang  (river  negotiable  in  boats  at  all 
seasons)  ;  (4)  Teke ;  (5)  Kiao-Teou  ;  (6)  Lompa; 
(7)  Koupi,  on  a  lake  said  to  be  one-third  the  size 
of  Tali,  in  the  plain  of  Tchong-tien,  which  takes 
2  or  3  days  to  traverse ;  (8)  Tchong-tien,  a  small 
town,  up  to  which  point  the  population  is  a  mixed 
one  of  Thibetans  and  Chinese,  and  after  it  ex- 
clusively Thibetan ;  (9)  Pine,  over  a  high  moun- 
tain range;  (10)  Lo-ti-ho,  cross  an  affluent  of  the 
Yang-tse;  (ii)Lopo;  (12)  Houja  ;  (13)  Tse-me- 
ka-pa  ;  (14)  Kiake ;  (15)  Lerou  (commencement 
of  the  Meli  or  Houang-Lama),  cross  the  river  by 
bridge  ;  (16)  Outia-po  ;  (17)  in  the  mountains,  no 
villages;  (iS)  Meli,  on  the  top  of  a  mountain, 
large  Lamaserai  (the  only  one  on  this  route) — 
cross  a  river  which  traverses  the  Kien-tchan,  and 
much  lower  down  falls  into  the  Yang-tse  (doubt- 
less the  Yalong-kiang  of  Desgodins'  map)  ;  (19) 
Tongli-ke;  (20)  No-han-po ;  (21)  Tsemi-Roua 
(plain) ;  (22)  Chake  ;  (23)  Kint-chan  (gold  mine) ; 
(24)  Tchen-ke-ti  (large  plain);  (25)  (liti ;  (26) 
Paoulo  (in  the  Setchuen),  rope  bridge  over  river; 
(27)  Tsene-keuti  ;  (28)  Oucheu  :  (29)  Tchaoualon 
(large  plain) ;  (30)  Motignia  ;  (31)  Tchana  ;  (32) 
Kontupo ;  (33)  Tchelo  ;  (34)  Hatia-toung-ho, 
Santa,  Tatsien-lou. 
Route    easy,    inhabitants    peaceful,    country    very 

mountainous,  save  for  the  few  plains  mentioned. 
Note. — The  spelling  of  all  names  on  this  route  is 
given  under  reserve,  they  having  been  furnished 
me  by  a  Chinese  merchant  of  Atentse ;  and  the 
Chinese  generally  disfigure   Thibetan  names   by 
their  bad  pronunciation. 
This  Thibetan  village  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  two 
branches  of  the  river  Lili.     On  the  right  flank  of  the 
northern  branch  is  cut  a  good  road  leading  to  Tsarong 
and  touching  the  .Salwen  at  Lakonra.     [N.  60    \\'.] 
Above  Toulong  in  ascending  the  Kiou-kiang  the  follow- 
ing places  are  found  : — Mambili,  Temedam,  Kensoum 
(left  bank),  Serawan  (right  bank),  Chia-keu  (left  bank). 
The  inhabitants  are  Kioutses. 
From  Toulong  to  Chia-keu,  3  days.   As  far  as  Kensoum  the 
district  pays  tribute  to  the  Yetche  Mokoua.  Serawan  and 
Chia-keu  are  under  the  authority  of  the  Kampo  Mokoua. 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Voinl  of  Dcparliirc  of  Routes 
und  Names  of  Rivers  aboiil 
which  Infornialion  was  col- 
kcted. 


Toi'  i,ON( ; — continued 


1  AMAI.O 

Manikhm 


Above  Chia-keu  the  Kioutses  pay  tribute  to  Tsarong. 

From  Chia-keu  to  the  Tsarong  frontier,  3  days'  march. 
1  do  not  know  the  extent  of  these  marches,  but  it 
must  be  slight,  as  the  Kioutses  make  only  short 
stages,  and  the  tracks  are  detestable  and  full  of 
obstacles.  Nor  do  1  know  to  what  latitude  the  valley 
of  the  Kiou-kiang  is  inhabited.  While  telling  me 
there  were  'I'hibetan  villages  on  the  course  of  the 
river,  the  natives  were  unable  to  mention  any  by 
name.     Are  there  any  ?     1  myself  doubt  it. 

From  Tamalo  a  very  fair  track  descends  the  valley  of 
the  Poula-Ho  to  the  Salwen.     [S.  40°  E.] 

From  Mandouni  going  up  the  left  bank  of  the  river 
Telo,  a  route,  admitted  to  be  very  bad  and  dangerous 
by  the  Kioutses  themselves,  leads  in  8  days  to  the  first 
village  'I'setekon,  passing  afterwards  by  the  following 
localities  : — Teunnami,  J  )umidan,  Teloulandam,  Tum- 
sepou,  Hadoumlanpoun,  Malaipoun,  Meteupoun, 
'I'elalongpoum.  The  last  named  is  said  to  be  28 
days'  (one  moon)  march  from  Mandoum,  and  only 
7  or  8  days  from  the  sources  of  the  Telo.  These 
stages  are  evidently  very  short ;  looking  at  the  distance 
as  the  crow  flies,  I  am  convinced  that,  whatever  may 
be  the  state  of  the  track,  the  journey  could  be 
accomplished  in  15  or  20  days. 

The  natives  who  inhabit  this  region  are  Kioutses 
and  Lissous.  The  latter,  who  are  in  the  minority, 
must  have  come  from  the  valleys  adjacent  to  the 
Kiou-kiang  and  the  Lantakou,  one  of  its  affluents. 
The  country  is  cold,  and  only  has  one  harvest  a  year. 
Inhabitants  very  wild ;  the  Kioutses  of  Mandoum  are 
so  timorous  that  they  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  any 
settled  abode.  There  is  no  route  communicating 
between  the  villages  on  the  higher  waters  of  the  Telo 
and  Thibet,  and,  speaking  widely,  none  between 
Thibet  and  the  upper  basin  of  the  Irawadi.  The 
habitable  zone  between  these  two  regions  is  of  great 
extent,  and  practically  impassable.  It  was  not  to  be 
thought  of  to  outflank  T.sarong  by  our  route  in  an 
attempt  to  gain  directly  the  great  unexplored  tract  of 
Pomi. 

Towards  the  south,  a  route  following  the  left  bank  of 
the  Neydu  (or  Tourong,  or  Kiou-kiang)  passes  the 
following  villages: — .Seloum,  Dam,Terandam,  loumtem, 
Zangur,  Manzing,  Debondam,  Konglam,  Maboumgam, 
Meyun,  Panmeyin,  Pise,  Delinam,  Dadzoum,  Habour, 
Seungoum,      Singouhol,      Sanchiel,     Teran,     Cionru, 


414 


APPENDIX  A 


I'oint  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Inforuiation  was  col- 
lected. 


Mandoum — am  tinned . 


Duma 


KhAM'I'I 


Ouakoue,  Rondam,  Pombour,  Loukinson,  Serin- 
danamzer,  Zerta,  Rekoui,  Konglam,  Kiangtou  (at  the 
confluence  of  the  Lantakou,  or  river  of  the  golden 
sands),  Ouadamkoii. 

No  information  farther  south,  except  that  below  Kiang- 
tou the  country  is  said  to  be  called  Kioui,  and  the 
people  are  Lissous.  It  is  difficult  to  know  where 
the  Kachins  or  Singphos  begin  along  this  branch  of 
the  Irawadi. 

PVom  Mandoum  to  Kiangtou  is  7  days'  hard  marching. 
Inhabitants  Kioutses  and  a  few  Lissous. 

From  Duma  to  the  great  plain  of  Hapon  (or  Apon,  a 
Kioutse  name),  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Reunnam  and  the  Tsan,  and  peopled  by  Singphos, 
8  days'  march  down  the  Reunnam. 

From  Khamti  into  Assam,  three  routes  : — 

1.  By  the  col  of  Chaukan  or  Tsaukan,  S.  55°  \\'.  of 

Padao  and  the  sources  of  the  Dihung  ;  no  snow  ; 
but  some  risk  from  Singpho  robbers,  who, 
according  to  the  Khamti  folk,  take  free  toll  of 
travellers. 
About  25  days'  march  to  Sadiya.  This  is  the 
route  that  has  been  followed  by  all  the  English 
expeditions  that  have  been  in  Khamti  (Wilcox, 
Woodthorpe,  Gray). 

2.  By  the  col  of  the  Phungan-Boum  (marked  on  my 

map),  22  days.  A  good  deal  of  snow  on  the  col 
from  January  to  March,  but  never  impassable.  It 
is  the  one  most  used  by  the  dwellers  in  Khamti. 

3.  The   third  passes   over   higher,    colder,  and  more 

snow-encumbered  cols,  and  is  extremely  difficult 
in  mid-winter  ;  moreover,  for  4  days  it  traverses 
a    hitherto   unexplored    district,    peopled    by  in- 
dependent   Mishmis,    who    are   very    hostile    to 
Europeans. 
Stages — First   4    days  up   the   valley    of  the    Nam- 
kiou,  and  that  of  the  Nam- Yin,  its  most  western 
branch  [N.  30°  \\'.] ;  5th  day,  pass  the  col ;  6th, 
descent ;     7th,    down    the   valley   of    the    Nam- 
Delong  (?) ;  8th,   /</.,   sleep   at    Piaon-Kong,    first 
independent  Mishmi   village ;    9th,    Koutika,    id., 
reach    the    valley    of    the    Nam-Derao    (Khamti 
name  for  the  Lohit  Brahmaputra)  ;     loth,  Tong- 
son,  independent  Mishmis;  nth,  Peshouson,  id.; 
1 2th,  Tsantai,  subject  Mishmis;   13th,  Belon,  id.; 
14th,   Kamlong-Kong,  id.;    15th,    Mankao,    Thais 
or  Khamtis ;    1 6th,    Tsong-kan,    id.    (descend  the 


4' 5 


FROM   TONKIN   TO   INDIA 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  alioiit 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Khamti — continued 


ROUTKS  INTO  BURMAH  , 


valley  of  the  Brahmaputra):  17th,  Keloum, 
Assamese ;  1 8th,  Chuika,  id. :  1 9th,  Talap,  id. 
(by  boat  on  the  Brahmaputra) — point  where  the 
railway  from  Dibrugarh  begins — altogether  19 
(lays.  But  Huoe-Daung,  prime  minister  and 
nephew  of  the  king  of  Khamti,  who  was  my 
informant  on  the  above  itineraries,  only  estimated 
our  route  by  the  Phungan-Boum  at  19  days, 
whereas  it  took  22  ;  so  that  I  believe  22  days 
should  be  allowed  for  this  one  also,  and  27  or  28 
for  the  first  of  the  three. 
A'd/c. — Huoe-Daung  had  twice  made  the  journey  to 
Bhamo  and  Mandalay,  and  showed  me  proofs  that 
each  occasion  was  genuine.  He  gave  in  detail  the 
stages  on  the  two  routes  which  he  had  taken.  Inas- 
much as  he  was  intelligent  and  endowed  with  a 
remarkable  memory,  and  as  his  information  con- 
cerning the  Assam  routes  was  confirmed  by 
e.xperience,  I  am  inclined  to  place  reliance  on  that 
which  he  furnished  with  regard  to  Burmah.  Yet, 
in  the  A/ap  of  the  Khimpour  District^  Bor-Kampti 
CoiDitry,  Nat^a  Hills,  etc.,  published  in  1894  by  the 
(jeographical  Service  of  India,  there  is  a  route  from 
Khamti  to  Bhamo  traced  in  accordance  with 
received  intelligence,  in  which  not  one  of  the 
names  mentioned  by  Huoe-Daung  appears.  Can 
this  be  a  third  route  ?  or  is  it  possible  that  the 
information  supplied  to  the  English  by  the  Kachin 
natives  was  intentionally  erroneous  ? 
Route   I. — Twenty-nine  days  from  Khamti  to  Mogoung 

(Burmese  name)  or  Mainghong  (Thai  name),  whence 

by  rowing  or  steam  boat  to  Bhamo. 
Stages — ist  day,  Langdao  (Khamtis)  :  2nd,  Moung- 
yac  (Singphos  or  Kachins,  Burmese  name  for 
independent  Singphos) ;  3rd,  Kauka ;  4th,  Nam- 
doungra  ;  5th,  N'daian  ;  6th,  Lecho  ;  7th,  Hasa  ; 
8th,  Kaition  ;  9th,  N'kam  Lakan  ;  loth,  N'da 
Kelon  ;  i  ith,  N'ouat  Tsaokan  ;  12th,  Haoutonka  ; 
13th,  Menlon  ;  14th,  Deroupom ;  15th,  Paning- 
kou  ;  1 6th,  Nainting  (from  the  2nd  to  the  i6th 
day  inclusive,  independent  Singphos);  17th, 
N'bom  ;  i8th,  Logna  ;  19th,  N'siensoing ;  20th, 
Ningkon  ;  21st,  Menoupom  ;  22nd,  Tinka  ;  23rd, 
Lanikonglo  ;  24th,  Medouzop  ;  25th,  Lopan ; 
26th,  Maupangla  (from  the  17th  to  the  26th  day 
inclusive,  subject  Singphos)  ;  27th,  Poukan  (Thais 
or  Shans) ;  28th,  Loili  (Thais);  29th,  Mogoung. 

416 


APPENDIX  A 


Point  of  Departure  of  Routes 
and  Names  of  Rivers  about 
which  Information  was  col- 
lected. 


Routes  into   Burmah      Route  2.  —Follows  the  valley  of  the  western  branch  of 
— continued  the  Irawadi  and  goes  in  t,t,  days  to  Bhamo. 

Stages  —  (i)  Tsaukan  (Khamtis)  :  (3)  Kankiou 
(Khamtis);  (3)  Keunong  (Khanungs,  Khaniti 
name  for  Kioutses)  ;  (4)  N'oan  (independent 
Singphos) ;  (5)  N'deun  ;  (6)  Ningpien  ;  (7)  Thaou- 
masa  (from  the  7th  to  the  i8th,  ten  days  of  very 
I  broken  and  almost  barren  country) ;  (18)  Komsen 

(from  the  4th  to  the  iSth  day  inclusive,  indepen- 
dent Singphos);    (19)  Melgouchop  ;    (20)  Seulo ; 
(21)    Melou  ;    (22)  Ouavan  ;    (23)    Ouavan  ;  (24) 
Baokouka ;    (25)    Sinyangka ;    (26)     Pangin    (tjn- 
inhabited,  marked  on  Enj^Iisk   maps)  ;  (27)  Pan- 
kietsop   (uninhabited,   marked  on  English  maps)  ; 
(28)  Ouaton  and    Nong-nang  (from    the    19th  to 
the    28th    day,   subject    Singphos) ;    (29)   Moung- 
hom    (Thais    or    Shans) ;    (30)    Maingna    (Thais, 
rowing   boat;    marked  on   English    maps)-.    (31) 
Ouangmo  ;  (32)  Katkiou  (steamer) ;  (33)  Bhamo. 
Finally,   there   is  a  third  route,   a  combination   of  the 
I       other   two;    from    Hasa    (7th   day   of  Route    i)    to 
Komsen  (i8th  day  of  Route  2),  in   7  or  8  days,  by 
I       Singtan,  N'baounon,  and  Kopian. 


2  I)  417 


APPENDIX    B 

BY  THE  AUTHOR 


I 

NATURAL  HISTORY 


I.  MAMMALS' 
On  Ihe  Collection  of  Mammals  brought  from  Yunnan  by  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans 

By  E.  DE  POUSARGUES 

The  6o  specimens  of  mammals  collected  by  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans  in  the  course  of 
his  journey  across  Yunnan  may  be  divided  into  28  species,  of  which  12  had  not  been 
previously  recorded,  except  in  the  province  of  Setchuen  and  the  principality  of  Moupin, 
or,  in  other  words,  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  plateau  of  Thibet.  These  12  have  been 
marked  by  an  asterisk  in  the  subjoined  list.  This  extension  of  Thibetan  forms  into 
Yunnan  need  not  surprise  us,  since  the  whole  of  the  north-west  part  of  this  province 
of  China  is  very  elevated,  its  orographic  system  is  closely  connected  with  that  of 
Setchuen,  of  which  it  is  in  reality  only  the  southern  prolongation  and  termination,  and 
the  border  between  the  two  districts  is  purely  a  virtual  and  administrative  one.  On 
the  other  hand,  none  of  the  southern  portion  of  Yunnan  differs  geographically  from 
Burmah,  Upper  Tonkin,  and  South-East  China,  and  we  recognise  in  the  mammalogical 
types  brought  from  this  region  by  Prince  Henry  most  of  the  species  already  recorded 
by  Anderson  on  the  frontiers  of  Yiinnan  and  Burmah,  and  by  Swinhoe  in  the  south- 
eastern provinces  of  the  Chinese  Empire. 

No  new  type  figures  in  the  following  list,  but  many  specimens  have  allowed  of  the 
elucidation  of  several  hitherto  obscure  points  touching  the  affinity  of  certain  species, 
whilst  others,  representing  forms  which  the  Museum  did  not  before  possess,  will  prove  a 
valuable  addition  to  our  galleries. 

*Nectog.\le  Eleg.\ns  (A.-A/.  Edw.) ;  native  name,  Khio-chi-oua  ;  4  specimens. 
*Uropsilus  SoRiciPES  (,-/.-.)/.  ^(/rc'.):  native  name,  Chi-oua-sandjiri;   i   specimen. — 
The  e.xistence  in  the  north  of  Yiinnan  of  this  hitherto  rare  member  of  the  Insec- 
tivora  disposes  of  my  recently  published  hypothesis  restricting  the  habitat  of  the 
Uropsilus   to    the    principality  of  Moupin,   and  at   the  same   time   implies  its 
presence  in  Setchuen. 
AiLURUS  FuLGEXS  {F.  Cuv.)\  2  specimens.- -The  Panda  is  indicated  by  .Anderson 
as  more  common  on  the  borders  of  Burmah  and  Yunnan  than  in  the  Himalayas. 
M.\RTES   Fl.wigul.a  {Bodd.);   i    specimen.— Anderson   makes  no  mention   of  this 
'  Extract  from  the  Bulletin  du  Mushim  d'histoire  naturelle,  1896,  No.  5. 

418 


APPENDIX   B 


species,  which,  however,  propagates  in  the  west  across  Burmah  and  Assam  as  far 
as  Nepaul,  where  it  has  been  recorded  by  Hodgson. 

LuTRA  MoNTicuLA?  {Hodgs.) ;  I  specimen. — The  skull  of  this  otter  having  been 
lost,  its  species  is  not  capable  of  strict  definition. 

Canis  Lupus,  var.  Pallipes  {Syk.) ;  2  specimens. 

Paguma  Larvat.\  {Tern.);  5  specimens. — The  province  of  Yiinnan  would  seem  to 
mark  the  western  limit  of  the  habitat  of  this  Paradoxura  ;  no  writer  has  recorded 
it  in  Burmah,  while  it  is  common  all  over  the  south  of  China  from  Eastern 
Thibet  to  Formosa. 

VivERRA  ZiEETHA,  var.  AsHTONi  (Su'iiik.);  5  specimens. — In  this  variety  the  black 
dorsal  line,  the  black  and  white  circles  below  the  neck,  and  the  large  clearly 
marked  rings  on  the  tail,  merge  with  the  rest  of  the  hair  in  a  slightly  speckled 
and  almost  regular  grey  tint. 

Felis  Tigris  (Z.)  :  i  specimen. 

Felis  Pardus  (Z.j ;  5  specimens. — This  panther  belongs  to  the  variety  F.  Fotitanieri 
{A.-M.  EduK). 

Felis  Parous,  var.  M.^i.\s  {Desm.) ;  i  specimen. — These  three  large  members  of  the 
feline  tribe  are  also  recorded  by  Anderson  in  Western  Yiinnan. 

Felis  Bengalensis,  var.  Pardochrous  (Hodgs.) ;  native  name,  Cku-ndzeu ;  i  speci- 
men.— The  Museum  did  not  before  possess  any  example  of  this  beautiful  variety 
so  clearly  characterised  by  the  shape  of  the  spots  on  its  coat.  Anderson's 
description  applies  exactly  to  the  specimen  in  question  :  "  The  hair  is  of  a  bright 
yellow  colour  mottled  with  numerous  spots  in  shape  like  rosettes,  and  with  small 
black  rings  with  centres  of  a  tawny  hue  darker  than  the  pale  shade  at  the  edge 
of  the  rosettes.  Of  the  four  black  stripes  noticeable  on  the  head  the  two  outer 
ones  branch  into  two  lines  widening  towards  the  shoulder-blades  and  enclosing  a 
space  which  is  brown  like  the  rosettes." 

Felis  Moormensis  {Hodgs.) ;  i  specimen. — As  in  the  last  case,  this  species  had  not 
up  till  now  been  represented  in  our  galleries.  The  specimen  offered  by  Prince 
Henry  of  Orleans  is  that  of  a  young  one  only  half-grown  ;.  its  coat  of  uniform 
russet  brown  shows  on  the  forehead  and  cheeks  the  grey  and  white  streaks  edged 
with  black  which  are  characteristic  of  the  species. 

Felis  Moor.mexsis,  nir.  Nigrescens  {Hodgs.) ;  i  specimen. — Here  the  dark  grey 
coat  has  onh'  preserved  the  shade  of  the  form  type  in  a  large  reddish-brown 
patch  between  the  shoulders,  but  the  usual  stripes  on  the  face  and  the  white 
extremity  under  the  tail  are  sufficient  evidence  of  the  specific  identity  of  this  and 
the  preceding. 

Besides  this  dark  variety  of  the  F.  Moormensis,  another  with  a  definitely 
spotted  1  coat  has  been  recorded  without  even  a  sub-specific  denomination  by 
Blyth  in  1 863  ;  but  this  latter  may  probably  belong  to  the  following  species. 
*Felis  Tristis  {A.-Af.  Ediv.) ;  i  specimen. — Numerous  skins  of  this  spotted  species 
have  been  sent  to  us  at  various  times  from  Setchuen  by  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans 
and  the  missionaries  at  Tatsien-lou,  and  an  examination  of  them  has  admitted  of 
an  exact  description  of  their  affinities.  It  is  with  the  F.  Moor.mensis  that  the 
F.  Tristis  is  most  nearly  allied,  and  not,  as  supposed  by  Elliott,  with  the  F. 
Marmorata  {Mart.),  of  which  the  tail  is  incomparably  longer  and  the  face 
markings  very  different.  In  this  latter  respect,  on  the  contrary,  there  is  complete 
similarity  between  the  F.  Moormensis  and  the  F.  Tristis,  and  the  tail  of  the 
latter  not  only  presents  the  same  proportions  and  shape  as  that  of  F.  Moormensis, 
but  also  the  same  shade  distribution  at  the  extremity  of  black  above  and  white 
beneath.  Further,  in  all  the  specimens  of  the  F.  Tristis  that  I  have  investigated 
there  was  that  reddish  band  between  the  shoulders  which  I  remarked  above  in 
the  dark  variety  of  the  Felis  Moormensis. 

'  Blyth :  a  Xipalese  specimen  {F.  Moormensis)  in  the  India  Museum  is  very  distinctly  and  conspicu- 
ously spotted  {P.Z.S.,  1863,  p.  185). 

419 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


*Felis  Lynx,  var.  Isabeli.ina  {Blyth) ;   i  specimen. 
Pteromvs    Yunnaxensis  (Anifers.) ;   4   specimens,  of  which  one   young  one  was 
exactly  similar  to  the  adults. 

*Pteromvs  Xaxthipes  (A.-Af.  Edw.) ;  native  name,  Tattg-la ;  3  specimens. — This 
species,  described  according  to  examples  obtained  at  Tchely,  was  subsequently 
met  with  at  Setchuen. 

*SciiRU.s  Pernvi  {A.-M.  Edw.);  native  name,  T/io>ig-/i ;  4  specimens. 
SciCRUS  Maccleli.andi  {Horsf.) :  native  name,  Thong-tchra  ;  2  specimens. 

*Mus  Chevrieri  {A.-A/.  £du>.) ;  native  name,  La-kha-thi-oua  :  3  specimens. 

*Rhizo.mvs  Vestitus  (A.-M.  Edw.);  native  name,  Gni-ma-chi-oua;  3  specimens. — 
By  its  large  dimensions,  and  above  all  by  the  extreme  shortness  of  its  tail, 
this  species  is  very  distinct  from  those  of  the  same  race  in  India  and  Indo- 
China. 

*Lagomvs  Tibetanus  {A.-Af.  Edw.) ;  native  name,  Aoura  ;  i  specimen. 

*Nemorhedus  CIriseus  (A.-Af.  Edw.);  1  sjjecimen. — This  young  one  scarcely 
measured  2  ft.  6  in.  from  the  nose  to  the  root  of  the  tail ;  the  head  was 
still  undeveloped :  the  dark-brown  dorsal  line  was  more  strongly  marked 
than  in  the  adult,  beginning  on  the  forehead  in  a  small  lock  of  bristly  hair, 
and  continuing  unbroken  by  the  nape  of  the  neck  and  the  spine  to  the  tuft 
at  the  end  of  the  tail. 
Nemorhedus  Euwardsi  (Dav.)  ;  2  pairs  of  horns. 

*Budorcas  Taxicola  (ffodgs.) ;  2  pairs  of  horns. 
MoscHUS  MoscHiFEKUS  (L.);  I  Specimen. 

*Cervli,us  Lacrvmaxs  {A.-Af.  Ed-w.) ;   i  specimen. 


On  a  Gibbon  of  a  New  Species  from  Upfer  Tonkin 

By  E.  DE  PoU.«ARGUES 

Hyloi;ates  Henrici  (nov.  spec). 

H.  colore  flavo  ;  supra  pi/is  ad  basim  inienso,  apicem  versus  pallide  flavescentibus 

cinereoque    dilutissime     tinctis ;    infra    pilis     unicolorihus :    pectore    inferior  e, 

(txil/is  abdomineque  e  stramineo  luteis  :    sed  genis,  mento,  gula,  cnllo  inferiore 

pectoreque  mammarum  tenus  splendide  fulvis,  rutilis,  quasi  auratis.      Vertice, 

nucha   colloque  superiore  mediis  nigerrima   notatis   macula   elongata,  angusta, 

fusiforme,  longiore  ter  quam  latiore  et  abrupte  circumcisa. 

0  Adult.     Type,  Lai-Chau,  Tonkin,  1892.     Prince  Henry  of  Orleans. 

The  Museum  unfortunately  only  possesses  one  incomplete  skin  of  this  (iibbon, 

mutilated  of  its  fore  members  from   the  wrist  and  of  its  hind  members  from    the 

knee.     One  of  the   callosities  as  well   as   the   genital   and   anal    organs   have   also 

disappeared.     The  development  of  the  breasts  indicates  a  full-grown  female.     The 

following  are  the  measurements : — 

Length  of  head  and  body  from  nose  to  callosities 

„         upper  arrr.  ........ 

fore  aim      . 


Kt. 

In. 

» 

.si 

0 

9i 

0 

IIt 

The  prevailing  tint  of  the  coat  is  a  glossy  bright  yellow  varying  in  intensity  in 
different  parts  of  the  body  from  pale  to  golden.  On  the  upper  surface  of  the 
head  and  trunk  the  hair  is  thick,  long,  and  fleecy,  merging  from  deep  yellow  at 
the  roots  into  a  lighter  slightly  grisled  shade  towards  the   extremities.     This  grey 

420 


APPENDIX   B 


tinge  is  much  less  extensive  and  pronounced  on  the  outer  hind  part  of  the 
members,  where  the  fur  is  shorter  and  of  a  warmer  hue.  On  the  fore  limbs 
this  colouring  is  uniform  to  above  the  wrist,  and  probably  continued  so  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  paws,  though  it  is  not  possible  to  speak  with  certainty  in 
regard  to  the  extremities  of  the  hind  legs  in  consequence  of  their  having  been 
amputated  too  high.  A  large  longitudinal  black  patch  starts  from  the  centre 
of  the  vertex  i|  in.  behind  the  line  of  the  eyebrow,  widening  over  the  top  of 
the  cranium,  maintaining  an  even  breadth  for  a  space,  and  gradually  contracting 
again  as  it  foUott's  the  middle  of  the  back  of  the  neck  from  the  nape  to  the 
beginning  of  the  shoulder-blade,  where  it  fines  to  a  point.  This  marking  is  in 
no  way  similar  in  shape  to  the  more  or  less  dark  and  sometimes  vaguely  defined 
semicircular  cap  in  other  species.  H.  pileatus  (Gr.),  H.  Mulleri  (Mart.), 
H.  Javaiiicus  (Mtsch.). 

In  the  monkey  in  question  the  length  of  this  streak,  5i  in.,  much  exceeds  its 
breadth,  which  at  its  maximum  is  only  i|  in.  Its  width  is  clearly  defined,  giving 
it  the  appearance  of  a  long  black  stem  in  strong  contrast  to  the  surrounding 
yellow  surface.  On  the  brow  in  front  of  this  black  patch  the  hair  is  of  a 
uniform  rather  light  yellow  turning  to  deep  orange  tawny  on  the  cheeks,  sides 
of  head,  chin,  throat,  under  side  of  neck,  and  top  of  the  chest  as  far  as  the 
breasts.  Upon  the  remainder  of  the  chest,  stomach,  and  inner  face  of  the  limbs 
the  covering  is  fairly  long  but  not  thick,  and  of  a  regular  pale  yellow.  Just 
over  the  eyes  the  yellowish-white  hair  mixed  with  a  few  silky  black  threads 
traces  a  narrow  border  on  the  superciliary  arch  too  faint  to  merit  the  name  of  a 
frontal  band.  The  bald  skin  of  the  face  is  dark  brown ;  and  the  ears,  of  the 
.same  colour,  are  rounded,  minute,  and  entirely  hidden  in  the  surrounding  growth, 
although  bare  themselves  save  for  some  long  black  hairs  on  their  inner  edge, 
which  meet  at  the  top  of  the  cavity  in  a  thin  tuft. 

On  account  of  these  different  peculiarities  I  have  thought  it  proper  to  distinguish 
this  Gibbon  specifically  under  the  name  of  Hylobates  Hetirici  in  honour  of  Prince 
Henry  of  Orleans,  to  whom  its  discover)-  is  due.  This  particular  skin  was  taken 
at  Lai-Chau  (Tonkin),  a  little  to  the  north  of  the  Black  River  and  not  far  from 
the  southern  frontier  of  Yiinnan. 

I  do  not  believe  the  H.  Heiirici  can  be  considered  to  be  a  hitherto  unrecorded 
variety  of  an  already  known  species  in  the  regions  of  the  vicinity.  The  females 
of  the  lar  and  hoolock  Gibbons  from  Burmah  and  the  north  of  Siam  often  change 
their  coat  to  a  yellow  somewhat  resembling  that  of  the  H.  Henrici,  but  paler 
and  mostly  of  a  yellowish-grey,  with  the  white  whiskers  and  frontal  band  always 
visible.  It  is  further  to  be  noted  that  neither  Blyth  nor  Anderson,  who  had 
many  opportunities  for  close  study  of  a  large  number  of  these  animals,  have 
ever  recorded  the  presence  of  a  black  cephalic  patch,  and  this  peculiarity  is 
moreover  cited  as  a  distinctive  characteristic  by  ^I.  Matschie  in  his  review  of 
the  species  of  the  genus  Hylobates} 

Among  the  females  of  the  species  H.  pileatus  (Gr.)  of  Siam  and  Cambodia,  the 
roots  of  the  hair  are  not  yellow,  but  vary  from  white  in  the  young  to  brown  turning 
to  grey  in  the  adults  ;  the  black  cephalic  patch,  either  oval  or  semicircular,  is  shaped 
like  a  skull-cap  of  about  equal  length  and  breadth,  which  only  involves  the  vertex, 
and  is  divided  from  the  eyebrow  line  by  a  narrow  white  band  ;  while,  lastly,  as  soon 
as  the  first  signs  of  the  coif  become  manifest,  there  appears  on  the  chest  a  corre- 
sponding black  patch  which  spreads  rapidly  with  the  maturity  of  the  animal,  covering 
the  abdomen,  mounting  beneath  the  neck  to  the  throat,  and  in  old  females  reaching 
even  the  chin  and  the  whiskers. 

^^'ould  it  not  seem  likely,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  H.  Henrici  may  be 
identical   with  the  yellow   Gibbon    of   the    island    of   Hainan    which    .Swmhoe-   has 

'  Matschie. — Sitzber,  Ges,  natttrf.  Fr.,  Berlin,  pp.  209,  210.     1893. 
-  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  London,  p.  224.      1870. 

421 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


merely  recorded  in  these  few  words  :  "  The  Golden-silk  Yuen  which  is  yellow  .  .  . 
difficult  to  procure  "  ?  Careful  research  throughout  that  island,  on  the  south-west 
coasts  of  China,  and  in  the  north  of  Tonkin,  alone  can  settle  the  question  and  deter- 
mine at  the  same  time  if  this  yellow  colour  is  common  to  both  sexes  of  this  (Hbbon, 
or  if  there  is  a  sexual  dichroism  as  in  the  case  of  other  species. 


2.  BIRDS 

Note  on  the  Birds  collected  in   ]  'iinnan  by  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans  in  the 
course  of  his  recent  Journey  from  Tonkin  to  India  ' 

By  M.  E.  OusTALET 

From  his  travels  through  Tonkin,  Viinnan,  the  independent  parts  of  Upper 
Burmah,  Southern  Thibet,  and  Assam,  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans  has  brought  back  a 
large  number  of  birds,  which  he  has  generously  presented  to  the  Museum  ot  Natural 
History.  This  collection  is  one  of  great  interest,  not  only  on  account  of  the  presence 
of  several  new  forms,  but  also  for  the  hitherto  unpublished  particulars  which  it 
furnishes  upon  the  ornithological  fauna  of  Viinnan,  of  which  province  the  western 
part  alone,  in  its  contiguity  to  Burmah,  had  been  explored  from  the  zoological  point 
of  view  by  the  English  naturalist  John  Anderson  in  1868  and  1875.  ^he  Prince 
and  his  companions,  on  the  contrary,  traversed  the  south,  the  north-west,  and  the 
centre  of  Viinnan,  which  they  entered  in  the  beginning  of  February  1895  by  way  of 
Laokay  on  the  Red  River.  After  first  proceeding  in  a  westerly  direction  by  Manhao 
and  Ssumao  to  the  Mekong,  they  ascended  to  the  north,  past  Tali-Fou,  and  with 
many  windings  and  repeated  crossings  of  the  great  river  arrived  at  Tsekou  on  the 
19th  of  August.  Profiting  by  an  enforced  delay  of  two  weeks  in  this  locality,  Prince 
Henry  remitted  thence  to  the  Museum,  as  he  had  already  done  from  Tali-P'ou,  a 
portion  of  his  collections,  and  obtained  with  the  help  of  the  missionaries  stationed  at 
Tsekou  new  specimens,  which  are  not  the  least  interesting  part  of  the  w'hole.  Tsekou 
itself  is  really  situated  in  Thibetan  territory  at  a  comparatively  slight  distance  south 
of  the  mission  post  of  Verkalo,  whence  the  Abbe  Desgodins  had  sent  the  Museum 
many  rare  specimens,  and  of  the  route  from  Batang  to  Tatsien-lou  which  Prince 
Henry  and  M.  Bonvalot  followed  some  years  ago  on  their  way  to  Setchuen,  along 
which  they  made  such  a  fine  collection  at  the  time.  Tatsien-lou,  which,  thanks  to 
Mgr.  Biet  and  Fathers  Mussot,  Soulie,  and  Dejean,  has  lately  furnished  rich 
ornithological  contributions  to  the  Museum,  itself  forms  part  of  that  province  of 
Setchuen  where  the  Abbt^  A.  David  had  made  several  of  his  most  important 
discoveries.  We  are  not  surprised,  therefore,  to  meet  in  the  series  of  birds  arranged 
by  Prince  Henry  at  Tsekou  with  many  forms  of  the  Upper  Mekong,  Thibet,  and 
Setchuen  that  were  already  familiar  in  the  accumulations  of  the  above-mentioned 
naturalists.  As  I  have  before  had  occasion  to  remark,  the  valley  of  the  Mekong,  in 
the  upper  part  of  which  Verkalo  and  Tsekou  are  situated,  constitutes  one  of  the 
natural  outlets  by  which  a  part  of  the  ornithological  fauna  of  Thibet  and  Setchuen 
finds  its  way  into  Viinnan  and  Indo-China. 

From  Tsekou  the  expedition  turning  sharp  to  the  west  crossed  successively  the 
Salwen,  the  Irawadi,  and  their  affluents,  and  on  the  24th  December  1895  reached 
Sadiya  in  Assam,  where  the  perilous  part  of  the  journey  ended. 

During  this   period   of  eleven   months   Prince   Henry  of   Orleans  secured    nearly 
200  specimens  of  birds,  the  majority  of  which  now  figure  in  the  public  collection  of 
the  Museum.     A  careful  study  of  these,  just  completed,  shows   them  to  belong  to 
'  E.xtract  from  the  Bulletin  du  Mushim  ifhi'stoire  naturelle,  1896,  Nos.  5  and  7. 


APPENDIX  B 


1 2 1  species,  more  than  two-thirds 
latter  the  following  is  the  list  : — 


of  which  were  not  met  with  by  Anderson.     Of  the 


PaiiEornis  Salvadorii  (Oust.). 

Accipiter  nisus  (L.). 

Cerchneis  ti/uiii/ici/lus  (L.). 

G/aitcidium  Brodiei  (Burt). 

Cyanops  Davisoni  (Hume). 

Gecinus  Gueriiii  (Malh.). 

Picus  (Hypopicus)  hyperythriis  (^'ig.). 

lynx  torquilla  (L.). 

Cuculus poliocephalus  (Lath. ). 

Upiipa  epops  (L.). 

j'Ethopis^a     Seherice,     var.     labecula 

(McCl.). 
Diavum  ignipectiis  (Hodgs.). 
Chloropsis  aurifrons  (Tem.). 
Merula  Gouldi  (J.  V.). 
Turdus  ruficollis  (Pall.). 
T.  pallidtis  i^X&va.). 
Mont  kola  cyanea  (L.). 
Ruticilla  aurorea  (Gm.). 
R.  frontalis  (Vig.). 
Rhxacornis  fuliginosa  (Vig.). 
Nemiira  rufilafa  (Hodgs.). 
Suioria  longicaudata  (Lath.). 
Brachypteryx en/ rails  (Hodgs.). 
Notodela  leuaira  (Hodgs.). 
Prima  gracilis  (Frankl.). 
Phylloscopus  liigiihris  (Tick.). 
Ph.  proregulus  (Pall.). 
Ph.  fulvifacies  (Swinh.). 
Myiophoneiis  Eugenei  (Hume). 
Garrulax  alblgularis  (Gould). 
G.  pectoralis  ((Jould). 
Baba.x  lanceolatus  (J.  Y.). 
Trochalopteron  Ellioti  (J.  ^'.). 
T.  squainatiim  (Gould). 
Pomatorhlnits      Macdellandi,       var. 

Armandi  (Oust.)  ? 
Conostoma  amodlum  (Hodgs.). 
Otocompsa  flaviventris  (Tick.). 
Crinlger  Henrki  (n.  sp.). 
Malacias pukhella  (G.  A.). 
M.  Desgodinsi  (Dav.  and  Oust.). 
Pyctorhis  sinensis  (Gm.). 
J\iyxornis  rubricapilla  (Tick.). 
Ixulus  Rouxi  (n.  sp.). 
Staphidla  torqueola  (Swinh.). 
Alcippe  Phayrei  {V,\.). 


4(3. 

47- 
48. 
49. 
5°- 
51- 
52- 
53- 
54- 
55- 


4- 

5- 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 
10. 
II. 

12. 

13- 
14. 

15- 
16. 

17- 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 

23- 
24. 

25- 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30- 
31- 
32- 
iZ- 
34- 
35- 

36. 

37- 

*38. 

39- 

40. 

41- 
42. 

*43- 
44. 

45- 

By  adding  these  91  species  to  the 
the  same  province,  we  get  a  total  of  206,  in  itself  a  considerable  number,  but 
certainly  not  even  yet  representing  the  whole  of  the  ornithological  fauna  of 
Viinnan.  As  might  be  supposed,  this  fauna  exhibits  a  mixed  character,  and  partakes 
at  once  of  that  of  Thibet,  India,  and  Indo-China. 


Alcippe  (Proparus)  Bieti  (Oust.). 
Yuhina  dlademata  (J.  X .). 
Y.  giilaris  (Hodgs.). 
S.  singula  (Hodgs.). 
Leiothrix  luteus  (Scop.). 
Cutia  nipalensis  (Hodgs.). 
Troglodytes  nipalensis  (Hodgs.). 
Sitta  ccesia  (Mey.  and  \\'.). 
S.  villosa  (J.  v.). 
Certhia  himalayana  (Mg.). 
•,6.   Parus  minor  (Tem.  and  Schl.). 

57.  Parus  tnonticolus  (^'ig.). 

58.  P.  dichrous  (Hodgs.). 

59.  P.  ater,  var.  cvniodius  (Hodgs.). 

60.  Panis  {Machlolophus)  rex  {.\.  Dav.). 

61.  Acredula  concinna  {(mxAA). 

62.  A.  Bonvaloti  (Oust.). 

63.  Ptererythrius  rufiventris  (Blyth). 

64.  Buchanga  leucophcea  (\'.). 

65.  Oriolus  Traiili  (Vig.). 

66.  Graucalus  Macei  (Less.). 

67.  Alseonax  latirostris  (Raffl.). 

68.  Muscicapula  maculata  (Tick.). 

69.  Cltelvdorhvnx  hvpoxantha  (Hodgs.). 

70.  Cryptolopha  cinereocapilla  (Hutt.). 
C.  tephrocephala  (Hodgs.). 
Niltava  sundara  (Hodgs.). 
Motacilla  Hodgsoni  (Bl.). 
A/icrocichla  Scouleri  (\'ig.). 

75.  Emberiza  spodocephala  (Pall.). 

76.  Pycnorhampus  affinis  (Blyth). 
•■77.   Chrysomitris  ainbigua  (n.  sp.). 

Passer  rutilans  (Tem.). 
Mutiia  acuticauda  (Hodgs.). 
Dendrocitta  himalayensis  (^'ig.). 
Columba  leuconoia  (Mg.). 
Dendrotreron  Hodgsoni  (^'ig.). 
Treron      {Spite  mice  reus)      sphenurus 

(Vig.). 
Ithagims  cruentus  (Hardw.). 
Ceriornis  Temmincki  (Gr.). 
Pucrasia  Meyeni  (Mad.). 
Nycthemerus  Andersoni  (Ell.). 
Arboricola  Henrici  (y\.  sp.). 
Erythrura  phcenicura  (Penn.). 

90.  Actitis  hypoleucus  (L.). 

91.  Charadrius fulvus  (Gm.). 

recorded  by  Anderson   in  the  west  of 


71- 

72. 
73- 
74- 


/O. 

79- 
80. 
81. 
82. 
83- 

84. 
85- 
86. 
87. 
*88. 
89. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


It  possesses,  however,  certain  species  belonging  to  itself,  of  which  four  had  not 
hitherto  been  recorded,  and  the  discovery  of  which  is  due  to  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans. 
These  are  inarked  by  an  asterisk  in  the  jireceding  list,  and  a  few  words  must  be 
devoted  to  their  diagnosis. 

Criniger  Henrici,  n.  sp. — Species  near  akin  to  that  of  the  Crini};er  i^iitturallis 
(Bp.)  of  Sumatra,  Borneo,  Malay  Peninsula,  and  Tenasserim,  but  distinguished  from 
it  by  a  larger  size,  different  proportions  in  the  remiges,  and  by  the  colour  of  the 
under  part  of  the  body,  which  is  more  strongly  interspersed  with  yellow  and  almost 
develops  into  red  beneath  the  lower  tail-feathers.  The  inner  edges  of  the  wing  are 
also  brighter,  of  a  yellowy  or  reddish  white.  Entire  length  of  bird,  9.8  in.  ;  of 
wing,  from  3.90  to  4.5  in.  ;  of  primary  remige,  1.08  in.  ;  of  tail,  4.33  in.  ;  of  beak 
(upper  edge),  .70  in. ;  of  tarsus,  .82  in. 

This  species  is  found  at  once  in  the  south  of  Yunnan  and  the  north  of  Tonkin. 
The  above  description  has  been  taken  from  four  specimens,  male  and  female,  of 
which  one  was  killed  on  the  25th  of  March  1895  between  Manhao  and  Ssumao 
(Viinnan)  on  the  banks  of  the  Black  River,  while  the  others  were  obtained  by  Prince 
Henry  on  a  former  expedition  at  Nam-Xong,  Ban-Moi,  and  Hat-Hoa  (Tonkin)  on  the 
17th,  19th,  and  25th  of  February  1892. 

IxuLUS  Rouxi,  n.  sp. — Much  resembles  the  Ixii/us  flavicollis  (Hodgs.)  of  the 
Himalayan  region  in  its  system  of  colouring,  but  differs  from  it  in  the  shade  on  the 
top  of  the  head,  which  is  of  a  deep  brown  slightly  tinged  with  grey  and  not  of  a 
chestnut  brown,  also  in  its  greater  size  and  more  developed  wings.  Entire  length 
of  bird,  5.59  in.;  of  wing,  z.55  in.;  of  tail,  2.1 1  in.;  of  beak,  .39  in.;  of  tarsus, 
.74  in.  I  have,  unfortunately,  only  had  one  specimen  for  examination,  a  female, 
killed  on  the  23rd  of  March  1895  in  Viinnan,  on  the  borders  of  the  Ly-sien-kiang 
or  Black  River. 

Chrvsomitris  Ambigua,  n.  sp. — A  most  interesting  form,  recalling  in  a  striking 
manner  certain  Tarins  of  the  New  World,  notably  the  Clirysomitris  notata  (Du  Bus)  of 
Central  America,  by  its  hood  of  dark,  almost  black  hue,  its  green  mantle,  the  green 
shade  of  yellow  on  the  under  parts  of  its  body,  the  golden  markings  at  the  base  of  the 
tail,  and  by  the  large  yellow  pattern  that  pervades  a  chief  part  of  the  remiges  and 
adorns  the  wings.  The  hood  in  this  case,  however,  stops  short  beneath  upon  the 
chin  and  middle  of  the  throat,  the  shoulder  is  of  a  duller  green  and  not  distinctly 
spotted  with  black,  while  the  breast  is  instead  flecked  with  greenish-brown  ;  the  tint 
on  the  abdomen  also  tends  to  green  verging  on  the  sides  to  rus.set  grey,  and  not  as 
in  the  other  of  a  brilliant  yellow  ;  finally,  the  proportions  are  not  the  same  as  the 
Chrysomitris  notata,  those  of  the  Clirysomitris  ambigua  being  :  entire  length  of  bird, 
5. II  in.  ;  of  wing,  3.14  in. ;  of  tail,  2.00  in.  ;  of  beak,  .39  in.  ;  of  tarsus,  3.54  in. 

Four  birds  of  this  species  were  killed  by  the  Prince,  namely,  one  female  at 
Mienning  (\'unnan)  on  the  7th  of  May  1895;  one  male  on  the  13th  of  May 
at  Viinchou,  a  little  north  of  Mienning  :  one  male  and  one  female  on  the  banks 
of  the  Vang-pi-kiang,  an  affluent  of  the  ^lekong,  on  the  23rd  of  May. 

This  species  does  not,  however,  appear  rigidly  confined  to  Yunnan,  for  in  the 
numerous  collection  of  birds  recently  sent  to  the  Museum  by  Father  Dejean 
from  Tatsien-lou  I  have  been  confronted  with  the  same  Tarins,  closely  allied 
to  birds  exhibiting  the  exact  characteristics  of  the  Chinese  greenfinch,  of  the 
Chluris  sinica  (L.),  of  which  the  Museum  already  possessed  specimens  obtained 
at  Pekin  and  at  Moupin  by  the  Abbe  A.  David.  But  what  is  more  curious, 
there  exists  in  this  same  collection  from  Tatsien-lou  all  the  transitions  between 
the  specimens  resembling  those  I  have  just  described  under  the  name  Chrysomitris 
ambigua  and  the  specimens  identical  with  the  Chloris  sinica  of  Moupin  and 
Pekin.  These  transitions  are  manifested  not  only  in  a  modification  of  the  shoulder 
tint,  which  from  green  becomes  a  clear  chocolate -brown,  in  the  shade  of  the 
under  parts,  which  passes  from  yellowy -green  to  bright  reddish -brown,  and  in 
the  fading  and  gradual  entire  disappearance  of  the  hood,  but  also  in  a    thickening 

424 


APPENDIX   B 


and  shortening  of  the  beak,  which  becomes  wholly  that  of  a  greenfinch.  As  for 
the  wings  and  tail,  they  undergo  no  change,  these  parts  being  already  correspond- 
ingly coloured  in  both  the  Chrysoiiiitris  auibigua  and  the  Chloris  sinica. 

From  these  facts,  based  on  the  comparison  of  a  series  of  fifty  specimens,  it 
might  be  concluded  that  the  Chloris  sinica  and  the  Chrysomitris  ambigiia  con- 
stitute in  reality  only  one  and  the  same  species,  very  variable,  of  which  the  old 
birds  develop  a  green  livery  and  black  hood.  But  then  how  comes  it  that  this 
black  hood  and  this  green  livery  have  never  as  yet  been  observ'ed  in  the  many 
specimens  of  the  Chloris  sinica  which  naturalists  have  had  under  their  inspection 
from  the  time  of  Linnaeus,  and  which  figure  in  the  large  museums  of  Europe  ? 
It  seems  more  reasonable  to  me  to  regard  the  Chrysomitris  ambigua  as  a  Yimnan 
species,  the  area  of  whose  habitat  is  contiguous  on  the  northern  side  with  that 
of  the  Chloris  sinica,  and  to  suppose  that  on  the  confines  of  their  respective 
regions  the  breeds,  already  closely  allied,  are  subject  to  frequent  crossing. 

As  I  have  already  remarked,  the  two  species  Chloris  and  Chrysomitris  are 
extremely  near  akin ;  and  it  is  an  error,  in  my  opinion,  to  arrange  them  as  in 
the  catalogue  of  the  British  Museum  in  two  different  tribes  of  the  family  of  the 
FringillidcB.  Already  the  Chrysomitris  spinoides  (Mg.)  of  the  Himalayas  and 
Setchuen  exhibits  the  plumage  of  a  Tarin  with  the  beak  of  a  greenfinch. 

Arboricol.^  Henrici,  n.  sp. — A.  Torqueola  affinis,  sed  mento  rufo,  gula  nigro 
maculata,  tergo,  caudae  tecticibus  rectricibusque  dorsi  modo  transversim  radiatis, 
abdominis  lateribus  castaneo  colore  carentibus  distincta. 

Entire  length  of  bird,  10.03  to  12.59  in.;  of  wing,  5.11  to  5.90  in.  ;  of  tail, 
2.16  to  2.55  in.;   of  beak,  .78  in.  ;  of  tarsus,  1.49  in. 

Hab.  Tonkin  and  prov.  Kuang-tri  (Annam). 

Crest  for  most  part  black  ;  front  and  lower  jaw  fawn ;  neck  speckled  black 
on  tawny :  shoulder  streaked  transversely  and  regularly  with  black  on  olive, 
prolonged  to  the  tail  coverts  and  even  as  far  as  the  rectrices,  and  not  broken 
behind  by  triangular  patches  or  bands  as  in  the  Arboricola  torqueola  ;  wings 
presenting  same  markings  as  in  the  latter  species ;  breast  brownish -red,  more 
uniform  than  the  Arboricola  torqneola  without  the  small  white  flecks  ;  thighs 
verging  towards  olive -brown,  with  feathers  marked  by  large  terminal  black  patch 
preceded  by  a  white  one,  but  not  speckled  with  chestnut ;  beak  brown  ;  feet  red. 

The  foregoing  description  is  taken  from  two  specimens  from  different  sources  : 
one  presented  to  the  Museum  by  Prince  Henry  of  Orleans,  and  obtained  by 
him  at  Maison  (Tonkin)  on  the  20th  of  February  1892,  in  the  course  of  his  former 
travel  in  Indo-China ;  the  other  acquired  by  Father  Renauld,  and  coming 
from  the  same  province  as  the  Carpococcyx,  that  is  to  say,  the  province 
of  Kuang-tri  (Annam).  The  first  of  these  birds  is  indicated  as  a  female,  and 
is  somewhat  smaller  in  size  than  the  other.  Its  beak  is  a  little  deformed,  and 
the  plumage  slightly  altered,  so  that,  while  detecting  different  characteristics  from 
those  of  the  Arboricola  torqiteola,  I  was  satisfied  to  designate  it  in  the  collec- 
tions of  the  Museum  under  the  manuscript  name  of  Arboricola  Henrici, 
and  postponed  giving  a  description  of  the  species,  which  immediately  struck  me 
as  a  new  one,  until  I  should  have  another  specimen  under  my  scrutiny.  The 
arrival  of  this  second  example,  moreover,  admits  of  a  considerable  extension 
towards  the  south  of  the  habitat  area  of  the  species,  which  is  evidently  to  be 
found  throughout  the  entire  mountain  and  forest  region  that  separates  Annam 
from  Laos. 

In  addition  to  the  above  species  there  are  many  others  in  Yiinnan  on  which 
I  should  have  wished  to  say  a  few  words,  but  I  hof)e  to  be  able  to  investigate 
them  in  an  ulterior  work. 


425 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


3.   LKPIDOPTERA 
Collected  in  Yunnan 
Classified  by  M.  Oherthur  at   Rennes 
(i)  Rhopalocera 


Papilio  Machaon,  Li/uneiis. 

„       Alcinous,  A7«.^,^ 

„       Chentsong,  Oberthiir. 

,,       Protenor,  Cramer. 

,,       Pammon,  LiiiiKeits. 

„       Lama,  Ol'erthiir. 

„       Bianor,   Cramer. 

„       Paris,  Lhinaus. 

„       Cloanthus,   Weslwood. 

„       Xuthus,  Linmeus. 

,,        Erithonius,  Cramer. 

„       Arcturus,   U'eshvood. 

„        Horatius,  Blanchard. 

„        Tamerlanus,  Oherthiir. 

„        Mandarinus,  Oherthiir. 
Armandia  Thaidina,  Blanchard. 
Parnassius  Imi)crator,  Oberthiir. 
Pieris  Goutellei,  Oberthiir. 

„     Bieti,  Oberthiir. 

,,     Martinet!,  Oberthiir. 

„     Cliciria,  Cramer. 

,,     Belladonna,  Fabricius. 
Colias  Fieldii,  Mcnctrics. 
Gonepteryx  Amintha,  Blanchard. 


Dercas  \Vallichii,  Doubleday. 
Acraea  Vesta,  Fabricius. 
Danais  Chrysippus,  Linmeus. 
,,        (ienutia,  Cramer. 
„  Tytia,  Gray. 

„        Melaneus,  Cramer. 
Melitfea  Yuenty,  Oberthiir. 
Argynnis  Niphe,  Linnaus. 
,,        Laodice,  Fal/as. 
Limenitis  Elwesi,  Oberthiir. 
Apatura  Bieti,  Oberthiir. 
,,        Fulva,  Leech. 
,,         Princeps,  Fi.xseii. 
Charaxes  Clitiphon,  Oberthiir. 
„         Rothschildi,  Leech. 
„  IMenedemus,  Oberthiir. 

Araschnia  Prorsoides,  Blanchard. 

,,         Davidi,  Foiijade. 
Kallinia  Inachus,  Boisduval. 
Satyrus  Merlina,  Oberthiir. 

„         Palma,  Kollar. 
Neope  Agrestis,  Oberthiir. 
lirebia  Polyphemus,  Oberthiir. 
Dejeania  Bicolor,  Oberthiir. 


Tropsea  Selene,  H'ubner. 
Lcepa  Katinka,  Westwood. 
Ophideres  Ancilla,  Cramer. 


(2)  Heterocera 

Ophideres  Fullonica,  Linnceiis. 
Calesia  Hajmorrhiua,  Giienee. 
Urapteryx  crocoptcrata,  Kollar. 


4.   PLANTS 

List  of  Flants  collected  by  the  Expedition.     (For  localities  the  reader  is  re/erred  to  the 

dates  in  the  text  of  the  book. ) 

Arranged  by  M.  A.  Franchet 

Note. — Names  of  species  preceded  by  an  asterisk  are  new  :    their  descriptions  will  Iju  jiiublished 
in  the  Bulletin  de  la  Socit'tc  bolanique  de  France. 

RaNUNCUI.ACE/E 

Clematis   chrysocomoides.    Branch.,     10        Ranunculus    pennsylvanicus,    Foir.,     15 
June.  March. 

,,         florida,  Sieb.  Ziicc,  1 1  July.  Trollius  patulus,i  Salisb.,  1 1  July. 

Anemone  rivularis,  Liamilt.,  i  May.  *Trollius  yunnanensis,  Franch.,  13  Sept. 

,,  coelestina,  Franch.,  19  June.  *Aconitum  pumilum,  Franch.,  14  Sept. 

^L\GN0LL\CE/E 

Michelia  yunnanensis,  Franch.,  27  February. 
'  Petals  much  shorter  than  stamens  ;  the  stems  attaining  27. 55  in.    Plant  altogether  new  for  the  region. 

420 


APPENDIX   B 


Papaverace.* 
*Meconopsis  multicaulis,  Franch.,  14  September. 

Cruciferace^ 
Cardamine  sylvatica,  Li>tk.,  9  March. 

Fumariace.e 
Corydalis  Raddeana,  Hegel.  (?),  1 1  July.        Corydalis  echinocarpa,  Franch.,  1 2  .Sept. 
,,         echinocarpa, />-(7«ir/i.,  2  March  „  sp.  „         12  Sept. 

at  Loutsou-chin.  i 

Violari* 
Viola  Patrinii,  Patrin.,  17  June.  Viola  japonica,  Langs.,  28  February. 

„     diffusa,  Ging.,  5  March.  ,,     Delavayi,  Franch.,  23  May. 

Polygalace.« 
*Polygala  yunnanensis,  Franch.,  27  February. 

Caryophyll.\ce.« 
Silene  rubicunda,  Franch.,  1 7  June.  |     Cerastium  triviale,  Link.,  5  March. 

Stellaria  uliginosa,  Murr.,  9  March. 

HVPERICACE/E 

Hypericum  patulum,  Thiinh.,  27  February  and  23  May. 
,  „  sp.  15  March. 

GERANIACE.C 

Geranium  nepalense.  Sweet,  28  Feb.  Geranium  sp.,  9  March. 

„         yunnanense,  Franch.,  11  July.  O.xalis  corniculata,  Z.,  12  February. 

,,         palustre,  L.,  van,  11  July.  Biophytum  sensitivum,  DC,  18  .April. 

„         strigosum,     Franch.,    var.,    18  Impatiens  sp.,  29  April. 

June.  .\verrhoa  Carambola,  Z.,  30  March. 

RUTACE^ 

Bcenninghausenia  rutsefolia,  Z*!'///'.,  11   |uly. 

CELASTRINACE-t 

Euonymus  sp.,  14  September. 

Cedrelace.e 
Munronia  Uelevayi,  Franch.,  20  May. 

LKGUMINOS.t; 

Crotalaria  ferruginea,  Grah.,  15  March.  *Lespedeza  sericophylla,  Z>-fl';/cA.,9March. 
,,                ,,                        29  April.  Desmodium  parvifolium,  DC,  9  March. 

Lotus  corniculatus,  Z.,  15  P'ebruary.  Flemmingia  Grahamiana,  Arn.,  15  Feb. 

GuldenstKdtia  yunnanensis,  Franch. ,\ax.,        Dalbergia,  18  June. 

19  June.  Bauhinia  Faberi,  0/iv.,  15  April. 

Astragalus  Sinicus,  Lamk.,  i  May. 

ROSACE/E 

Spiraea  lanuginosa,  Franch.,  11  July.  '   *Potentilla  ampliflora,  Franch.,  14  Sept., 

,,       japonica,  var.  wa///o/;<7,  15   Feb.  11  July.- 

Princepia  utilis,  Royle,  15  Feb.  „         peduncularis,  Don.,  19  June. 

Rubus  rossefolius,  Lin.,  15  March.  '  „         leuconota,  Don.,  11  July. 

Fragaria  indica,  Z.,  15  March.  .Agrimonia  Eupatoria,  Z.,  24  May. 

Potentilla  Kleiniana,  Wight.,  5  March.  Pyrus  Malus,  Z.,  24  April. 

427 


FROM  TONKIN   TO   INDIA 

SAXlFRACiACE.t 

*Astilbe  Henrici,  Fra/ic/i.,  ii   Iul\-.  I     Deutzia  staniinea,  Br.,  15  March. 

Saxifraga  sp.,  14  July.  I  ,,        glomeruliflora,  J-'ranch.,  24  May. 

Dichroa  febrifuga,  Lour.,  27  .\\>n\.  '    Philadelphus  coronarius,  L.,  van,  23  May. 

Cr.\ssul.\ce^ 
Bryophyllum  calycinum,  Salish.,  12  February. 

LVTHRAKIACE.F, 

Woodfordia  floribunda,  Sa/isl>.,  9  March. 

GiNOTHER.XCE.-Ii 

Epilobium  angustifolium,  Lam/;.,  11  July.  [     Epilobium  hirsutuni,  L.,  24  April. 

Passiflor.\ce^ 
Passiflora  yunnanensis,  Franch.,  19  March. 

^  r  ELASTOM  ACE.E 

Osbeckia  sp.,  12  September.  1     Blastu.s  sp.,  14  October. 

Allomorpha  pauciflora,  Beiith.,  1 2  .Sept.     I 

U.M  BELLI  FER/E 

CEnanthe  linearis,   Wall.,  24  April. 
*Pleurospermum  heracleifolium,  Franch.,  1 1  July. 

CORNACE^ 

Cornus  capitata,   Wall.,  19  June. 

RUBIACE.T. 

Wendlandia  glabrata,  DC,  1 1  February.  |     Ophiorrhiza  japonica,  B/iime,  1 2  Sept. 

LONICER.E 


Lonicera  acuminata,  Jl'a//.,  19  June. 

„         longiflora,  DC,  1 5  April. 
Leycesteria  formosa,  ll'a//.,  20  May. 


"■X'iljurnum  parvifolium,  Franch.,  i  May. 
„  sp.,  18  March. 


\'a],erl\nacea: 

Patrinia  scabio.s£efolia,  Fisch.,  23  Sept. 


Valeriana  Hardwichii,  Wall.,  i  May. 
Wallichii,  DC,  18  March. 

DlI'SACE.V, 

Morina  Delavayi,  Franch.,  1 1  July,  i  7  June. 

COMPOSIT.f. 

Aster  trinervius,  Roxh.,  15  March.  |     Vicoa  auriculata,  DC,  9  March,  2  May. 


„     sp.,  15  March. 
,,      Bietii,  Franch.,  Journ.  ile  but.,  \.  p. 
373- 


Gnaphalium  multiceps,  DC,  i  May  (this 

plant  is  cooked  and  eaten  by  the  natives). 

Gnaphalium     (Anaphallis)     nubigenum, 


Erigeron  Alpinus,  L.,  24  May.  DC,  var.  la.xiim. 

„              „        var.    Roylei,  DC,   1 1  (Gnaphalium    (Leontopodium)    alpinum, 

February.  Scop.,  i  May. 

Blumea  glomerata,  DC,  12  February.  Gnaphalium  (Leontopodium)  Chinense, 

„       lacera,  DC,  15  March.  Fr.,  14  September. 

428 


APPENDIX   B 


Gnaphalium  (Leontopodium)  Dedekensii, 

Bur.  a)id  Franch.,  i8  June. 
^Gnaphalium  (Leontopodium)  tenuifolium, 

Fr.,  19  ^lay,  27  February. 
Emilia  sonchifolia,  DC,  12  February. 
GynUra  primatifida,  DC,  15  March. 
Senecio  Oldhamianus,  Afaxim.,  16  Feb. 
,,        phalacrocarpus,  Ham.,  14  Sept. 
„        Principis  Franch.,Jmirn.  de  hot., 
X.  412. 
*      „        tenuipes,  Franck.,  1 1  July. 


Saussurea   lingulata,    Franch.,  Joiirn.  de 

hot.,  X.  p.  423. 
Hemistepta  lyrata,  Bunge.,  18  March. 
*Cnicus  paucisquamatus,  Franck.,  i  .May. 

Gerbera  piloselloides,  Cass.,  29  April. 
*        „       Chinensis,  Franch.,  15   March. 
Lactuca  grandiflora,  Franch.,  30  July,  15 
September. 
„        sp.,  12  March. 
Crepis  japonica,  Benth.,  1 2  March. 


Adenophora  sp.,  12  July. 
Codonopsis  convolvulacea,  C.  Kurz.,  12 
July. 


C.\MP.\NULACE.t 

Campanumsea     pilosula,     Franch.,      12 
September. 


^'accinium  Donianum,  Wight.,  19  March. 
Pieris  ovalifolia,  Don.,  29  April. 
Rhododendron  ciliicalyx,  Franch.,  9  May. 
*  „  oxyphyllum,   Franch.,  30 

March. 


Eric.\ce.« 

Rhododendron  indicum,  L.,   18   March, 
27  February, 
sp.,  15  March. 
„  Delavavi,     Franch.,     18 

March. 


Plu.mb.\ginace^ 


Plumbago  Zeylanica,  L.,  18  March. 
*Primulacyclaminifolia, /7-rt;/(-^.,  18  March. 
*      „       microdonta,  Franch.,  15  Sept. 
„       Poissoni,  Franch.,  2  May. 


Primula  denticulata,  Sm.,  15  February. 

„        sp.,  16  February. 
^■Lysimachia  plicata,  Franch.,  24  May. 


Styr.^ce^ 
Styrax  ser.  ulatum,  Roxh.,  30  May.  |     Symplocos  crataegoides,  Ham.,  2  May. 

Ole.\ce.c 


Forsythia  suspensa,  VahL,  15  February. 
Jasminum  sp.,  4  March. 


Jasminum  sp.,  15  February. 
,,         sp.,  9  March. 


Apocyn.a.ce.« 
Beaumontia  grandiflora,   JFa//.,  1 4  .April. 

LoG.\NIACE.E 

Budleia  asiatica,  £.,  27  February. 

Gentian.\ce.e 

Gentiana  tenella,  i^(?r«.,  23  September.  [     Crawfurdia  fasciculata,  1 1 'a//.,  14  Sept. 

,,       delicata.  Ham.,  23  September.  *        „  grandiflora,  Franch. 

„       decemfida,  Biich.,  29  April.  Swertia,  12  September. 

„       serra,  Franch.,  15  February.  ,,       12  September. 

„       Elwesii,  Clarke,  23  September.        Italenia  elliptica,  Z?.  ZJo//.,  12  September. 
„  ,,  14  September. 

Boragine.e 


Cynoglossum  furcatum.  Wall,,  15  March, 
16  February. 


Trigonotis  peduncularis,  Maxim.,  1 2  Sept. 
Myosotis  sylvatica,  Sfoffm.,  11  July. 


429 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 

CONVOLVULACE^ 

Argyreia  sp.,  15  April.  Evolvulus  alsinoides,  Z.,  9  March. 

IponiKa  quissata,  Rob.  Br.,  4  July. 

SCROPHULARIACE* 

Brandita  Hancei,  Hook.,  15  March.  Pedicularis  Elwesii, //(W/J.,  14  September. 

Torrenia  peduncularis,  Beiith.,  23  Oct.  „         24  May. 

Veronica,  11  July.  „  11  July  (tcr.). 

Phteirospermum  tenuisectum,  Bur.  and 
Franch.,  18  June. 

Gesneriace.*: 
^schinomene  acuminatus,  Wall.,  12  July. 

BlGNONlACE^ 

Incarvillea  Delavayi,  Frauch.  and  Sav.,  iS  June. 

ACANTHACE/E 

Baleria  sp.,  9  May.  |     Asystasia  sp.,  5  March. 

Peristrophe  sp.,  28  March.  j      Strobilanthus  sp.,  11  July. 


Labiat.*; 


Scutellaria  rivularis,  Wall.,  1 5  April. 
,,         sp.,  18  June. 
*Salvia  falcilabra,  Franch.,  18  June. 
platycalyx,  Franch.,  1 1  July. 


*Plectranthus    Yunnanensis,    Franch.,    18 

June. 
*Elsholtzia  theezans,  Franch.,   15   March 

(used  instead  of  tea  by  the  natives). 
Calamintha  umbrosa,  Benth.,  var.  micro-   I     Ajuga  ciliata,  Bunge,  15  March. 

phylla,  1 7  June. 

POI.YGONACE^ 

Polygonum  Bistorta,  /.,  11  July,  27  February. 

Laurace^ 
LitsKa  sp.,  5  March. 

ThYMEL/EACE^ 

Stellcra  Chamcejasme,  /.,  27  February.     |      Stellera  sp.,  19  June. 

EUPHORBIACE/E 

Euphorbia  Jolkini,  Boiss7  5  March.  |      Euphorbia  sp. 

AROIDE.t: 

Arisrema  sp.,  17  June. 

Orchiuace,« 

{Arranged  by  M.  Finef) 

Liparis  Bootanensis,  Griff.  Dendrobiuni   Pierardi,  Roxb.,   3,    12,  20 

Dendrobium   Dalhousia^anuni,    Wall.,  3                                    .April. 

April.  j               „            capillipes,  Reich.,  5  April. 

„            aggregatum,      Roxb.,  28   j               „            chrysotonum,    Liiidl.,     18 

April.  March,  17  .April. 

.,             Parishii,  Reichs.,  April.  ,,             sp. 

,,             longicornu,  Lindky.  Bolbophyllum  sp.  nov. 

,,            fimbriatum,     Hooker,  ig    1     Cirrhopetalum  sp.  nov.,  12  September. 

October.  Phajus  grandifolius.  Lour.,  2  April. 


APPENDIX  B 


Bletia  hyacinthina,  A.  Brown,  iSand  19 

June. 
Anthrogonium  gracile,  IValL,  18  October. 
Ctelogyne  barbata,  Griff. 

„         nitida,  Lindl. 

,,         ochracea,  Lindl.,  29  October. 

„  praicox,  Lindl. 

„         fimbriata,  Lindl.,  3  September. 
Calanthe  sp.,  29  September. 

„       sp.,  II  July  {/'is). 
sp. 
Arundina  sp. 

Cymbidium  giganteum,  Wall.,  6  and  12 
April. 

„  grandiflorum,  Gnff. 

„  xiphiifolio  affinis,  April. 

Vanda  teres,  Lindl.,  13  April. 


Vanda  parviflora,  Lindl.,  1 2  and  1 7  April. 
Goodyera  procera,  Stook,  30  March. 

„         secundiflorffi  affinis. 
Pogonia  sp.  nov.,  1 2  July. 
Cephalanthera  falcata,  Blame,  20  March. 
Epipactis  latifolia,  Swariz,  1 1  July. 
Habenaria  sp.,  4  July. 

4  July- 

II  July. 
23  March. 
19  September. 
18  June. 
2  I  June. 


sp 
sp. 
sp, 
sp, 
sp, 
sp 
sp. 


Satyrium  nepalente,  Don.,  13  Sept. 
Arethusantha,  Gen.  nov. 
Orchis  sp.,  12  July. 


Pardanthus  Chinensis,  Ker.,  5  March. 
Iris  Sibirica,   L.,    forma,    hcematophylla, 
19  June. 


Iridace.* 

Iris  Sibirica  sp. 


SCIT.\MINE^ 


Roscoea  purpurea,  Sm.,  23  May. 
*       ,,        lineariloba,  Franek.,  24  April. 
*Cantleya  yunnanensis,  Franch.,  19  June. 


Alpinia  sp.,  15  February. 
„       sp.,  27  April. 


Hypoxide.'e 
Hypoxis  aurea,  /. 

Il.emodor.a.ce.'e 
.\letris  laxiflora,  Franch.  and  Bur.,  2  May. 


Lili.vce.t: 


Paris  polyphylla,  .Stn.,  20  May. 
Olygobotrya  Henryi,  Oliv.,  11  July. 
Ophiopogon  japonicus,  Gaivl.,  17  June, 
sp.,  20  May. 
*Lilium  Henrici,  Franch.,  1 1  July. 

,,        cordiofoliu,  S.  Z.,  2 1  June. 

,,        Delavayi,  Franch.,  19  June. 

,,        roseum,  Wall.,  1 1  July. 
Nomocharis    pardanthina,    Franch..     19 

June. 


Allium  odorum,  L.,  12  September. 

,,        sp.,  14  September. 
Hemerocallis  fulva,  Z.,  ^•ar.   an_i;!(Sfifolia, 

Baker,  3  May. 
Tofieldia  Himalaica,  Baker,  12  June. 
Disporum  pullum,  Salisb.,  24  April. 
Veratrum  album,  L.,  van,  11  July. 
Streptopus  elegans,  Franch.,  1 1  July. 
Juncus  sp.,  I  r  July. 


COM,MELYN.^CE.t 

Streptolirion  volubile,  Edgu'.,  12  September. 

CvPERACE.t 

Carex  atrata,  Z.,  1 5  September. 

LYCoPoniACE.t; 
Lycopodium  cla\atuni,  Z.,  27  January.  Lycopodium  complanatum,  Z.,  27  Feb. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 
n 

VOCAHUI. ARIES 

COI.LECTF.I)    ON    THF.    RoU  1  K 

(E.\piaiiatl()ii  of  Ihc  Xiiinhers  (>t  the  ]'ocahu!aries) 

1.  Poula    Vocabulary,  taken  on  the  2nd  of  March  at  Loutche-Hsien  ;  remarkable 

for  the  initial  ch  like  the  (lerman  nasal  ch  :  sometimes  the  finals  are  scarcely 
sounded. 

2.  Hmi-Ni   Vocalnilary,  taken  on  the  3rd  of  March  at  Hakopo  ;  like  the  Poulas, 

they  add  louma  to  the  words,  ])erhaps  signifying  //  is  called,  or  [jerhaps  only 
as  a  suffix. 

3.  Lola  Vocabulary,  taken  the  6th  of  March  at  Cheu-pe-te. 

4.  Yayo  Vocabulary  (Lintindjou),  taken  the  7th  of  March. 

5.  Lola  Vocabulary,  taken  the  loth  of  March  at  Machatsa. 

6.  Pat  Vocabulary,  taken  the  loth  of  March  at  Pingantchai. 

7.  Lolo  Vocabulary,  taken  the  1 7th  of  March  at  Ketcheu. 

8.  Hou-iXi   Vocabulary,  taken  the  i8th  of  March  at  La  Mi.     The  Hou-Nis  (who 

call  themselves  Hans)  have  certain  sounds  which  they  pronounce  like  eur  in 
French  swur. 
Q.   Hou-Ni  J'ocabulary,  taken  the  23rd  of  March  at  Pitchu. 

10.  Hatou  I'ocabulary,  taken  the  25th  of  March  at  Panhoutse. 

11.  Vayu    Vocabulary  (Lintindjou),  taken  the   ist  of  April  at  Takouelin.     Suffixes 

nom  or  loiii  after  the  numbers  noticeable. 

12.  Lolo  Vocabulary,  of  Nalipa,  taken  the  9th  of  April  at  Ssumao. 

13.  Chut  Pat    Vocabulary,  of  Kouen-fang  (same  as  the  Hin  Pais\  taken  the  15th 

of  April. 

14.  Lokcii  Vocabulary,  20th  April.     (The  Lokais  call  themselves  Lachous.) 

15.  Lolo   Vocabulary,   20th  April,  at  Chian-na-ling.      (The  Lolos  call  themselves 

Toutans.) 

16.  Pou  Ma  Vocabulary,  at  Pouto,  29th  April.     (Seems  to  approach  the  Pai.) 

17.  Lokat  Vocabulary,  at  Koueng-fang,  ist  May.     (Very  clearly  pronounced.) 

18.  Aliitchia  Vocabulary,  20th  June,  at  Kian-pin. 

19.  Lissou  Vocabulary,  3rd  July,  at  Lou-kou. 

20.  Tono  Vocabulary,  15th  July,  at  Tono.     (Resembles  Lissou.) 

21.  Petscit  or  Han  Lama  Vocabulary,  23rd  July.     (Very  like  Minchia.) 

22.  Pe  Lissou  Vocabulary,  8th  August. 

23.  Mosso    Vocabulary,   at   Ngaiwa,    i^th   August.     (The  Mossos  call  themselves 

Nachis.) 

24.  Louise  Vocabulary,  taken  at  Tsekou  in  August.     (The  Loutses  call  themselves 

Melams  ;  the  Thibetans  style  them  Ngias,  or  imbeciles.) 

A  Complement  to  the  Loutse  Dialect  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  the 
Vocabularies. 

25.  Thibetan  Vocabulary,  at  Tsekou,  end  of  August. 

26.  Loutse  Vocabulaiy,  taken  from  some  Loutses  at  Tamalou,  loth  October. 

27.  Kioutse  Vocabulary,  at  Tukiu  Mu. 

28.  Alishmi  Vocalntlarv,  at  Bouniang  in  December. 

29.  Kioutse  Vocabulaiy,  taken  from  the  Sing-leng  folk,  13th  December.     Called  by 

the  Pais  and  the  English  Khanungs,  by  themselves  Metouans. 

30.  Singpho  ]'ocabulary,  at  Daphagang  in  December. 


432 


APPENDIX   B 


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FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


Complement  to  No.  24 — Loutse  Vocabulary — furnished  by 
Father  Dubernard  at  Tsekou 

Civil  chief :  Pone. 

„  :  Aiikatig. 

He  is  a  great  chief  :  .4nka>ii^   katen      re. 

{chief)  (great)  {he  is). 
Blind :     ne      me  yang. 
{eye)  {not)  {sees). 
Deaf :    atta     me      tong. 

{car)  {not)  {hears). 
Vou  must  comb  yourself  :   Oiine  se  gone, 

{hair)  {to  com/')  (must). 
There  are  four  chickens  :   Kakie       hligou  a/. 

(chickens)    (four)    (there  are). 
How  many  children  have  you  ?  Na     antienne       dangyo  al. 

{  To  you)  (children)  (how  many)  (there  are). 
I  have  five  :   Fnga  you  al. 
How  many  daughters  have  you  ?  Poumatienza       dangyo  al. 

(Daughters)    (how  many)  (there  are). 
Poumatienza    agni       yo,         lankiera  assom       yo. 

(Girls)       (two)  (I have),     (boys)    (three)  (I  have). 
How  old  is  the  eldest  ?       Temeyo         dongnin      kia. 
( The  I'iggest)  (what  age)  (has). 
He  is  20  :  Agni t set    gnin      kia. 
(20)     (years)  (has). 
How  old  is  the  youngest  ?      Kienemiyo      dongnin       kia. 

( Tlic  smallest)  (what  age)  (has). 
He  is  at  the  breast :     Kiou         nga. 

(breast)  (drinks). 
I  want  to  drink  some  water  :     iVgang       nga         gal. 

(neater)  (to  drink)  (ivish). 
I  wish  to  eat  some  mutton  ;    Aran     cha        he        gal. 

(sheep)  (meat)  (to  eat)  (ivish). 
I  am  cold  to-day  :    Tagnila  zing, 
(to-day)  (cold). 
It  will  rain  :   Xam       za  hoa 

(sky)  (rain)  (wi/lfall). 
We  must  dress  :       lo         goua  gal. 

(coat)  (to  clothe)  (must). 
Do  you  know  how  to  draw  the  cross-bow  ?       Tana  ab  ne  soa. 

(cross-bo'iv)  (to  draw)  (do  you  know). 
Is  there  much  water  in  (the)  Ba}ul  ?    Tourong      meli        ngang  kateng      la. 

(Bayul)  (country)  (water)    (big)    (has  it). 
Maize  :  tambo. 
Corn  :  azong. 
Ripe  buckwheat :  amble. 
Unripe        ,,  :  foa. 

Barley  :  soa. 
Antelope  :  adzou. 
Musk  deer  :  kiela. 


446 


[Mosso  Manuscripts. 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


T  I  T  L  ]-: 


FIRST     PAGE 


M3& 


<: 


>  ci_r_f=- 


.X 


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Mosso  Manuscript  No. 
(Reduced  to  f  size.) 

448 


APPENDIX  B 
TITLE 


On  the  cover  I  date  of  the  book,  day,  month,  |  religious  ornaments. 


FIRST     PAGE 


Name  of  the  book  |  doni  ma  do  tu :  to  see  one  is  not  able  (in  the  beginning 
was  chaos)  |  ma  to :  one  is  powerless  |  dapatu :  after  to  see  (light  was  created). 


Topa :  the  wizard  |  regain :  to  say  |  ri'gue :  all  plants  |  sassatu :  were  formed 
I  djouso  soukoiu :  three  men  come-forth  from  the  ground  [  djouni  soukotu :  three 
women  come-forth  from  the  ground. 


Djoulong  gouloiitu^ousin  gouloutu^oupoii  gouloutu :  first  a  stone — then  a 
tree — a  road  |  Moudju  lignanti :  men  and  animals  are  in  being  \jadjo  kagiie  ti : 
the  horse  stays  in  the  house,  a  foal  is  born. 


Key  to  Mosso  Manuscript  Xo. 
(With  Oral  Text.) 


2   F 


449 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


SECOND     PAGE 


THIRD      PAGE 


^<\ls- 


Mosso  MANUSCRirr  No. 
KeJuced  to  |  size.) 

450 


APPENDIX  B 
sp:cond    page 


Zodjo  mignienti :  the  man  and  the  woman  are  joined  |  Kodjo  djeugnienti : 
a  numerous  family  comes  |  sudjou  pougnienti :  the  whole  family  |  Kudjou 
lig/iienti :  to  a  dog  which  goes  into  the  mountain  with  its  female  |  pondjoun 
deniati :  the  village  next  is  made. 


Tch'eton  a  n'etoe :  heaven  gives  food  to  the  fowls  |  mounu  djou  kuku :  heaven 
gives  food  to  the  animals  |  d/ne  djoujou  U  djouja  papali :  heaven  gives  food  to 
the  horses  |  djoulou  goulandjo :  heaven  has  made  nine  stones  |  djoiise  goundja 
djo :  heaven  has  made  nine  woods. 


Djoumba  goukudjo :  heaven  has  made  nine  roads  |  izouzaligueso — mhakapii 
goiiloundu — takasoulane — bakasoujatno  :  the  man  is — the  priest  is — he  strikes  the 
cymbals — and  makes  music  |  djoukalapati :  heaven  has  made  the  hands  of  the 
man  white  |  Djouji  konapatu :  heaven  has  made  the  feet  of  the  horses  white. 


THIRD      PAGE 


Djoiiloungouloutu  guenelekutu :  nine  stones  fall  from  heaven  |  djousu  kottn- 
tadjou :  nine  trees,  from  heaven  |  djoupa  goukundjou :  heaven  has  made  thread 
(clothing)  I  djouloujoiiloitng  djou :  heaven  has  sent  an  evil  stone  (men  were 
disobedient  to  their  chief)  |  ni  perigni  hendjala :  of  two  villages,  one  man  kills 
the  other. 


Ndaka  leutnedja :  two  villages  desire  war  |  f/'o/ia  aouaja :  heaven  sends  the 
wind  and  the  scourges  (rain,  hail)  [  Kutchuchutchendja :  a  man  must  not  covet 
another's  pasture  |  chiuutudzetudja :  a  man  must  not  covet  another's  harv'est. 


Tzejoiilaradii  fengiiidzejoutu  tsignidendjiichamari :  one  cannot  count  in  ten 
days  the  number  of  murderers  and  robbers  |  vioutsiilalimaiigue :  funeral  rites  are 
always  to  be  observed  (many  are  the  dead)  I  Koutiiluchamapoii :  the  blood  of 
animals  (sacrificed  for  the  dead)  ever  flows  |  Zelemoudjutii  zamaheii :  the  blood 
is  like  the  grass  |  dzoiizar  mafiime  ndzeumo  madjii :  if  it  were  not  for  robbery  and 
murder  the  chiefs  would  have  no  subsistence. 


Key  to  Mosso  Manuscript  No. 
(With  Oral  Text.) 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


TITLE 


^4^ 

FIRST      PAGE 


31 


mM^^^M 


1 1 1 

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III 


Mosso  Mamscript  No.  2.     From  TsEKOr. 
(Reduced  to  i,  size.) 


452 


APPENDIX  B 

1-  I  T  L  E 


Cover.     Title. 

Year  of  the  hare ;   second   moon  :   the  third.  |  Amazon. — Signature  of  the 
wizards. 


FIRST      PAGE 


Of  old  neither  sky  nor  earth  (chaos).  |  In  the  beginning  the  sky  and  the 
earth  were  made ;  the  sun,  the  moon,  three  stars,  trees,  water,  three  stones. — 
All  nature  was  composed  of  thirteen  things. 


(Then  were  made)  things  hurtful  to  man — the  dragon  of  earth,  the  genius 
of  the  rocks,  the  attack  of  mysterious  force  |  (Was  made)  the  wizard  who  (to 
guard  mankind  from  bane)  teaches  eighty  writings  |  A  spirit  without  blemish 
wards  off  that  which  can  harm. 

That  he  may  not  destroy — gold,  silver,  the  turquoise  are  offered  to  this 
spirit  I  Three  gifts  having  been  made  to  heaven,  mankind,  herds,  and  crops  will 
flourish  I  (Sign  that  there  shall  be  no  more  ills.)  The  earth  regards  the  sign 
(placed  above),  all  will  prosper.  |  If  this  sign  is  disregarded  there  will  come 
1 1 3  terrible  calamities. 

Man  will  be  caught  by  these  calamities,  like  the  fish  by  the  hook  |  Ye  will  be 
treated  like  the  grass,  the  tree,  the  stone,  which  are  cast  into  the  fire.  |  If  ye  turn 
again,  on  the  earth  will  be  seven  mountains  which  shall  provide  all  that  ye 
desire  1  These  seven  hills. 


Key  to  Mosso  MANuscRirr  Xo.  2. 
(The  literal  translation  of  these  pages  is  given  for  the  first  time.) 

453 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


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454 


APPENDIX  B 
SECOND     PAGE 


Will  grant  a  happy  cycle  of  sixty  years  |  The  trees  have  (then)  fine  leaf ; — the 
branches,  fruit ; — the  birds,  abundant  food. — The  earth  produces  crops.  |  In 
gratitude  for  all  these  benefits — man  offers  gold,  silver,  turquoise,  coral,  ivory, 
seven  kinds  of  gifts. 

These  presents  made,  it  needs  to  continue  in  well-doing  to  have  the  same 
plenty  |  These  presents  made,  the  trees,  the  crops,  the  fruits  of  the  earth  will  still 
thrive  |  prosperity  will  endure  yet  other  ninety  years  stable  (as  a  rock). 

(Invocation)  May  man,  like  a  god  in  the  temple,  suffer  neither  sickness,  nor 
cold,  nor  heat.  |  Chapter  II.  |  Half  mankind  has  obeyed — half  has  become  stiff- 
necked,  seven  arrows  have  overtaken  man.  The  king  of  the  Tompas  (wizards) 
in  wrath  having  taken  back  all  manner  of  writings. 

Withdraws  into  the  temple — meditates  on  his  writings. — Having  read  them, 
he  comes  forth  in  fury  with  a  sword,  to  take  vengeance  on  the  disobedient  |  the 
belly  is  starved — the  crops  are  sterile. — Man,  chastised,  becomes  sorrowful ;  he  has 
white  thoughts  (repents).  |  The  punishment  ceases. — Man  is  happy. — Gold  returns. 


THIRD     PAGE 


The  turquoise  returns  |  The  moon  is  unclouded — The  stars  rise — Man  is 
joyful.  I  In  his  joy  he  plants  a  Ihader  (prayer  banner) — He  offers  all  kinds  of 
turquoises.  |  (Invocation)  In  the  world  may  the  sick  man  be  healed  in  five  days. 


If  in  five  days  he  is  not  healed  |  The  Tompa  in  anger  |  having  taken  again 
all  manner  of  books  |  The  Tompa,  like  a  ravening  (that  eats  flesh)  tiger — comes 
to  destroy  the  devil  which  departs  not. 


May  the  sick  be  healed  |  May  the  horse  feed  well — May  the  crops  yield  grain, 
may  the  sick  not  suffer  from  heat,  nor  from  cold — and  may  he  be  in  good 
health  |  If  henceforth  righteous  aims  are  pursued. 


A  good  horse,  garments  of  silk,  treasures  |  all  these  gifts  are  carried  to  the 
temple  by  the  sick,  in  token  of  gratitude.  |  Chapter  III.  |  The  planet  not  being 
obeyed. 


Key  to  Mosso  Manuscript  No.  2. 
(The  literal  translation  of  these  pages  is  given  for  the  first  time.' 

455 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


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457 


FROM  TONKIN  TO   INDIA 


III 

MATERIAL  FOR  THE  EXPEDITION 

The  valises  we  used  were  those  known  as  Pavie  valises,  capable  of  being  borne  on 
a  man's  shoulders.  For  travel  in  Viinnan  alone  somewhat  larger  ones  could  be  taken, 
but  they  would  have  to  be  very  strong  on  account  of  the  frequent  falls  among  the 
mules.  One  mule  might  load  154  lbs.  (adp.) ;  but  for  a  long  march  132  lbs.  is 
enough.  The  maximum  weight  of  each  valise  when  full  ought  not  to  exceed  66  lbs. 
In  the  list  of  items  clothing  is  left  out,  and  money,  which  has  all  to  be  carried  with 
one,  and  is  very  heavy,  is  likewise  not  mentioned.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
supplies  here  catalogued  were  calculated  for  a  year's  requirements. 


Ca.mp 


I  large  double-covered  patrol  tent  for  three 
persons,  about  21  sq.  ft. 

1  small  do.  for  two  (same  shape). 
Tent  pegs  for  same,  and  reserve.  ■ 
3  camp  beds.i 

3  sheepskin  beds. 

Cord  and  packthread,  2  lots. 

3  canvas  buckets. 

2  basins. 


I  pickaxe. 

Nails  and  screws. 

1  saw. 

2  hatchets. 

2  kettles. 

Letters  to  mark  the  cases. 

3  lbs.  of  wire. 

2  dessert  knives. 


40  packets  tobacco. 
22  boxes  crushed  sugar. 
44  packets  candles.- 

9  lbs.  ground  coffee. 
18  small  boxes  onion  soup. 

6  tablets  chocolate. 

4  boxes  condensed  milk. 

4  pots  Liebig. 

4    „     cheese. 


Provisions 

2  boxes  tinned  soup. 

2     „        cutlets. 

-4     ,,       potted  meat. 

5  ,,        sardines. 

6  ,,       filleted  herrings. 
4     „       mackerel. 
I  bottle  rum. 
I      „      brandy. 

Arms  and  Ammunition 


3  guns,  calibre  12. 

2  Winchesters. 

I  Express  Bland  303. 

1  Express  577. 

2  guns,  cahbre  38  (for  small  birds).'' 
2  revolvers  (Lebel). 

1  revolver  (Smith  and  Weston). 

2  fishing  tins,  with  hooks  and  lines. 
Bottles  of  anti-rust  and  vaseline. 
Cartridge  cases,  containing — 

194  shot. 


Made  cartridges, 
calibre  1 2. 


45° 

0 

174 

2 

200 

5 

200 

6 

230 

8 

380 

12 

400  wads  and  caps. 
4000  rounds  for  calibre  38. 
400       „       for  Winchester. 
430       „       for  Express  303. 
„       for  Express  577. 
„       for  Lebel  revolver. 
„       for      Smith      and 

revolver, 
sacks  o  ;  2  sacks  2  ;  3  sacks  i 2. 
Powder,  1 1  lbs. 

70    Favie    cartridges    (for   exploding    in 
rivers,  etc.). 


100 

375 
300 

Shot- 


W'eston 


'  My  companions  soon  followed  my  example,  and  slept  on  a  mat  and  waterproof  sheet  on  the 
ground. 

-  We  were  able  to  economise  these  for  several  months  by  using  small  Chinese  oil-lamps, 
'  Most  useful  for  ornithological  collections. 


APPENDIX   B 


Natural  History 


8  jars,  different  sizes,  hermetical. 
Alum,  acetate  of  soda,  arsenical  soap. 
Sawdust. 
Herbal  paper. 


Labels,   3  dissecting  cases,  scissors,  wad- 
ding, strj'chnine.' 
Snares. 


Photographv 


I  Haneau  Richard  apparatus  with  roll  or 
box  plates,  9x12  centim.  (correspond- 
ing to  English  J  plate). 
I  do.  Ledocte,  9  x  12. 
I  camera,  4I  x  6. 
60  dozen  plates,  9x12  celluloid. 
28  „  9x12  glass. 


About  80  dozen  plates  for  small  camera. 

About  15  rolls  9x12. 

Clothes,  black  paper,  spare  frames,  black 

bags. 
2  bags  for  changing  plates. 
I  red  lamp. 


Instruments,  Writing  Materials,  etc. 


M.  Roux's  instruments  (theodolite,  sex- 
tant and  artificial  horizon,  astronomical 
telescope,  hj-psometers). 

I  ecUmeter,  2  telescopes. 

I  metre,  i  decametre. 

3  thermometers. 

5  aneroid  barometers. 


20  notebooks,  4  dozen  pencils,  calculating 

sheets,  etc. 
White  paper,  ink  in  powder. 
2  portfolios,  I  compass  box. 
2  smoked  glasses. 
Flints,  wicks,  pipes. 
Chinese  visiting  cards. 


Drugs  - 


2  small  medicine  chests. 
I  do.  reserve  (4  boxes  kola,  2  boxes  salol, 
4  boxes  antipyrine,  4  pots    quinine,   2 


bottles  phenicated  water,  2  pots  boric 
acid,  tapsias,  sublimate). 
I  spray. 


Books 
I  case  of  books  and  maps  concerning  region  of  expedition. 


Presents  • 


Large  chromolithographs,  small  images. 
1  pendulum  clock. 
3  revolvers. 
Pipes. 

Flints. 

18  boxes  with  glasses. 
20  circular  boxes  (metal). 
A  score  of  pocket  glasses. 


30  scent  bottles. 
5  dozen  spyglasses. 

5  dozen  cigarette  holders. 

6  looking-glasses  with  three  sides. 
384  small  cases  of  needles. 

60  scissors. 
2  leather  purses. 
4  small  panoramas. 


'  The  experience  of  three  expeditions  has  shown  me  that  reliance  cannot  be  placed  on  rolled  films. 
After  having  used  apparatus  iS  X  24  centim.,  13  X  18,  gx  12,  I  ended  by  only  employing  one  of 
6^  X  9,  the  results  from  which  can  in  most  cases  be  enlarged, 

-  I  strongly  recommend  the  use  of  kola  as  an  excellent  sustainer  and  restorative.  After  tr)ing  it 
our  porters  had  great  faith  in  it.  Boric  acid  is  also  most  valuable  ;  wounds  and  sore  eyes  being  fre- 
quent, it  was  useful  among  the  natives. 

^  Among  the  presents  the  most  popular  were  those  which  had  anything  to  do  with  tobacco ;  one 
could  hardly  take  too  many  pipes  and  flints.  Next  to  them  came  knives,  scissors,  spyglasses,  needles, 
looking-glasses,  and  musical  boxes.  The  scents,  panoramas,  microscopes,  jeweller)'  and  trinkets,  and 
things  in  general  which  had  not  a  direct  practical  use,  were  less  successful.  In  the  Mekong  valley  and 
Ba)ul  a  good  reception  was  given  to  linen  and  Chinese  yam,  especially  when  in  dark  blue. 

459 


FROM  TONKIN  TO  INDIA 


'PRESEtfTS^a>/////l/n'd 


1  2  kitchen  knives. 
24  small  microscopes. 

1  silk  handkerchief. 
36  penknives. 

24  knives. 

2  |Dipes  in  shape  of  a  revolver. 
52  bone  boxes. 

4  cotton  kerchiefs. 
Pins. 

2  field  glasses. 

1  hunting  knife. 
I  2  celluloid  glasses. 

9  magic  mirrors. 

1  cup  and  saucer  (silver). 

I  „  „         (nickel). 


I  watch  in  case. 
I  inkstand. 

5  scarf  pins. 

20  boxes  bonbons. 
15  musical  boxes. 
Trinkets  in  duplicate. 

I  silver  mug. 
23  toilet  requisites. 

3  writing  requisites. 
1  aristonette. 

4  watches. 

18  wooden  boxes. 
1 2  harmonicas. 
I  large  musical  box. 

6  gilt  brooches. 


460 


GENERAL    INDEX 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Abbadie  d'  M.,  7. 

Abors,  352  ;  English  expedition  against, 
tb. 

Altyn  Dagh  Mts.,  137. 

Amherst,  Lady,  pheasants,  loi,  119. 

Angkor,  3. 

Anio,  chief  of  porters,  280,  328  ;  unselfish- 
ness of,  333,  338  ;  endurance  of,  341. 

Annam,  suitability  for  tea  planting,  355. 

Annamites,  our  retinue,  5,  40,  73,  77,  145, 
247. 

Apon,  plain  of,  282  ;  explained,  293. 

Assam,  303  ;  Thibetan  name  for,  304 ;  an- 
nexed by  England,  320  ;  routes  from 
Khamti  into,  323  ;  pacification  of  Upper, 
352  ;  plain  of,  355. 

Atentse,  136  ;  destruction  of  Mission  at,  201, 
223  ;  Roux's  expedition  to,  225,  242  ;  trade 
at,  ib.:  observations  at,  367,  374,  378; 
routes  from,  412,  413. 


B 


Barrows,  curious,  1 1 6. 

Batifaut,  Father,  murder  of,  130. 

Battambang,  3  ;  observations  at,  365. 

Bayul,  or  Pourba,  245. 

Bees,  Lissou  pursuit  of,  227. 

Bhamo,  126,  129,  320. 

Birds,  422^ 

Bishi,  in  Assam,  323  ;  stay  at,  346,  347. 

Black  River,  or  Lysiang-kiang,  neighbour- 
hood of,  64  ;  other  names  for,  70  ;  crossed, 
73  ;  observations  on,  369. 

Blackstone,  Captain,  275. 


Blue  R.,  131,  220. 

Bonnin,  M.,  traveller,  2. 

Bouniang,  outskirts  of  Assam,  reached,  343. 

Bourne,  English  traveller  cited,  61,  85. 

Brahmaputra  R.,  245,  291,  304 ;  reached, 
350  ;  descended,  355. 

Buddha,  monthly  feast  to,  58  ;  effigies  of, 
89,  208,  311,  318,  327. 

Buddhism,  debased,  89  ;  points  of  resem- 
blance with  Roman  Catholicism,  208,  209. 

Burmah  to  Tali,  road  from,  126;  do.,  129; 
English  goods  from,  135  ;  annexation  of 
Upper,  320 ;  from  Khamti,  routes  into, 
416,  417  ;  from  Pou-eul-Fou,  408. 


Cambodia,  3,  121,  365. 

Canton  R.,  135. 

Carl,  Mr.,  of  Chinese  Maritime  (Customs,  31. 

Chantzeu,  and  his  horse,  81,  145  ;  deserts, 
170. 

Cheun-Long-Ho  R.,  407. 

Chiantines,  loi. 

Chinese,  officialdom,  10,  12,  21,23,97,135, 
202,  223,  273 ;  customs,  39,  173 ;  hos- 
pitality, 31,  45,  87  ;  kites  and  pigeons,  55  ; 
character,  23,  76,  107,  iii,  114,  130,  223  ; 
future  of,  95,  202  ;  superstitions,  107,  142  ; 
tribunals,  214;  provincial  administration, 

183,  213. 
Christian,  persecution,   130^,  201,  223  ;   at 

Tsekou,  226  ;  death  of  an  old,  338. 
Chuen-Lo,  routes  from,  408. 
Chunning-Fou,    120  ;    observations  at,   363, 

372. 
Clive,  357. 


462 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Coal,  7. 

Cochin-China,  3,  94,  121. 
Coklen,  8. 

Colquhoun,  English  traveller  cited,  85. 
Cone  chain,  the,  19,  36. 
Cooper,  English  traveller,  203,  218,  219,  251. 
Cormorant,  fishing,  141. 
Customs,    Chinese   Maritime,   31  ;    on   tea, 
Mekong  R.,  96. 


D 


Dance,  Pai,  91  ;  Lolo,  loi  ;  Lamasjen,  179  ; 
Lissou,  197,  198. 

Uapha  R.,  323,  337  ;  Nam  Dapha  R.,  343, 
344  ;  observations  on,  376. 

Uaphagang,  point  of  arrival,  344  ;  observa- 
tions at,  376,  378. 

Dayakeu,  97. 

Debay,  Lieut.,  traveller,  2. 

Dedekens,  Father,  4. 

Degue,  district,  213. 

Desgodins,  Abbe,  4,  212,  222. 

Deveria,  M.,  60. 

"  Diamai,"  259  ;  death  of,  292. 

Dibrugarh,  railway  at,  325,  353. 

Dihing  R.,  323  ;  Nam  Dihing  R.,  342,  345  ; 
valley  of,  346  ;  confluence  with  Brahma- 
putra, 350  ;  observ'ations  on,  376. 

Dionysius'  Ear,  168. 

Dogs,  of  Thibet,  136,  259,  292. 

Dokerla  Mts.,  242. 

Dubernard,  Father,  218,  221,  222,  250,  251. 

Dublu  R.,  289  ;  observations  on,  375. 

Dupleix,  shade  of,  357. 

Dupont,  M.,  8. 

Du-tchu-mu  R.,  285. 

Dutreuil  de  Rhins,  219. 

Dzayul,  245  ;  Mts.  of,  291,  312,  327  ;  last 
look  at,  341  ;  River,  352. 


Fey-long- Kiao,  152;  observations  at,  366, 
2,72,  ;  routes  from,  409,  410. 

Fishing,  cormorant,  141  ;  native  method  of, 
154;  Kioutse  artifice,  292;  mahseer, 
346. 

Fong-chen-lin,  45  ;  observations  at,  361, 368. 

Fong-Chouan,  pagoda  at,  192^ 

Fong-Yu,  147. 

Fou,  legend  of  the  god,  234. 

Francois,  our  interpreter,  6,  40,  42,  45,  78  ; 
dismissed,  117. 

French,  position  at  Laokay,  8,  9  ;  consulate 
at  Mongtse,  i()ff.;  Frontier  Delimitation 
Commission,  21;  trade,  32;  cause  in 
Indo-China,  74  ;  explorers  in  Yunnan,  85  ; 
colonial  acquisitions,  94  ;  diplomacy  v. 
industry,  95;  river,  the,  121,  219;  mis- 
sionary aims  on  the  Mekong,  224  ;  colonial 
administration  contrasted  with  English, 
351,  355'  356;  in  India,  357. 


Gamier,  Francis,  2,  52,  94,  129,  219,  366; 
observations  taken  by,  367,  377,  378. 

Garnier,  Francis,  Peak,  257,  271  ;  observa- 
tions at,  374. 

"Gate  of  the  Tiger,''  the,  167. 

George,  Deputy  Commissioner,  letter  of,  319. 

Gill,  English  traveller,  212,  219;  observa- 
tions taken  by,  367,  377,  378. 

Gold,  64,  242  ;  washing,  201  ;  in  the  Kiou- 
Kiang  valley,  281. 

Gourka,  itinerant,  324. 

Goutelle,  Father,  death  of,  201. 

Grandmaison,  de,  M.,  i ;  death  of,  3. 

Graphite,  7. 

Gray,  English  traveller,  319,  320,  323,  415  ; 
guide  of,  346. 

Grotto,  near  Ssumao,  90. 


Elephants,  120,  294,  318,  349. 

English,  enterprise,  32,  95  ;  travellers  at 
Ssumao,  84,  104,  no;  claims  on  the  Me- 
kong, 94;  missionary  at  Tali-Fou,  126; 
goods  at  Tali-Fou,  135  ;  document  at 
Tsaukan,  308  ;  do.,  at  Padao,  319 ;  methods 
of  colonisation,  320;  administration,  351  ; 
reflections  on,  356. 

Erhai,  L.,  or  Tali,  125,  126,  139,  146. 


H 


Hablus,  gorge  of,  251. 

Hanoi,  point  of  departure,  4  ;  French  posi- 
tion at,  36. 
Harmand,  French  explorer,  94. 
Hatous,  70  ;  vocabulary,  435^ 
Hong- Hay,  6,  7. 
Hopatie,  fete,  205. 


46.? 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Houi-houi,  or  Houe-dzeu,  Chinese  Maho- 
metans, 31,  56  ;  spirited  conduct  of  a,  88. 

Hou-Nis,  16,  43,  44  ;  adventure  with,  56^; 
particulars  concerning,  doff.;  vocabularies, 

Hsiao  Ouisi,  201. 

Hue,  threatened  l)y  Siam,  94. 

Hydraulic  pestles,  46. 


I 


In-Chouan,  186  ;  observations  at,  374. 

India,  reflections  on  British,  356. 

Irawadi  R.,  213,  246;  feeders  of,  289;  VV. 
branch  of,  310;  chain  between  Brahma- 
putra and,  334  ;  climate  in  Upper  Basin 
of,  405  ;  further  investigations  as  to 
branches  of,  410  (No.  2  route  from 
Loukou),  414,  415  (routes  from  Mandoum). 
See  also  Kiou-Kiang. 

Isa,  approach  to,  52  ;  trade  at,  ib.;  observa- 
tions at,  362,  369. 


J 


Joseph,   the    Latinist,    145  ;    as    interpreter, 

192,  202,  247  ;  on  Assam,  356. 
Journey,    objects   of,    2,    3  ;    material    for, 

458# 


Kachins,  137,  323,  410. 

Kawas,  or  lekawas,  probably  Shans,  loi, 
408. 

Kher,  Thibetan  poem,  210. 

Khagan,  348. 

Khamangs,  or  Mishmis,  343. 

Khamti,  305  ;  warning  to,  311  ;  visit  to  the 
chief  of,  316;  English  negotiations  with, 
319;  rapacity  of  natives  at,  321;  in- 
habitants of,  322 ;  minister  of,  323  ;  routes 
to  India  from,  323,  415;  do.,  to  Burmah 
from,  416,  417;  farewell  to,  327;  observa- 
tions at,  378. 

Khanungs,  or  Kioutses,  261,  321. 

Khou-an-yn,  the  goddess,  123,  150,  204. 

Kiang-hung,  see  Xien-ho(u)ng. 

Kiang-Pin,  409. 

Kiou-Kiang,  R.  (called  also  Neydu,  Telo, 
Toulong,  q.v.),   first   report  of,  194,    265  ; 


sighted,  271;  followed,  274^;  scenery  by, 
276,  289;  meaning  of,  283;  observations 
oi)  375;  branch  of  Irawadi,  411,  414. 

Kioutses,  akin  to  Loutses,  261  ;  other  names 
iox,ib.\  particulars  concerning,  263 ;  facial 
types,  283 ;  of  Uuma,  293,  297  ;  observ- 
ances of,  301  ;  harvest  fete,  304;  vocabu- 
laries, 443# 

Kola,  for  fever,  329,  335,  459. 

Krishna,  the  pundit,  245. 


Lachous,  see  Lochais. 

Lagrde,  2,  94. 

Lake  Er'hai,  125,  126,  139,  146. 

Lakhoum,  319,  320. 

Lamas,  at  Kampou,  zobff.;  miracles  of,  233  ; 

sects,  234  ;  of  Tsarong,  245. 
Lamaserai,  of  Kampou,  2o6_^;  of  Honpou, 

214,  223;  of  Tchamoutong,  233,  246,  252, 

264  ;  of  Menkong,  245. 
Lamasjens,  178;  dance,  180;  worship,  181  ; 

customs,  183  ;  vocabulary,  see  Petsen. 
Landjre,  outpost  of  Thibet,  255  ;  attitude  of 

people,  ib.;  route  from,  413. 
La-niou-Ho,  R.,  64,  406. 
Lansous,  160,  410. 
Lantcheu,  routes  from,  406. 
Lao,  last  Chinese  village,  153. 
Laokay,  8. 

Laos  States,  Laotians,  3,  48,  92,  31 1,  317,  322. 
La  Rochefoucauld,  76. 
Latinist,  a,  145. 
Lauriuni,  inines  of,  306. 
Lead,  306. 

Leguilcher,  Father,  \i%ff. 
Lepidoptera,  426. 
Lhaqa,    201,     207,     233,     244 ;    route    from 

Atentse,  412. 
Lili,  R.,  256. 

Lintindjous,  16  ;  same  as  Vaos,  47,  q.v. 
Lissous,  first  met,  148;  origin,   160  ;  dialect, 

ib.\  marriage  custom,   164,    174  ;  worship, 

177  ;  details  concerning,  182  ;  dance,  197, 

ig8  ;    sorcery,  200;    at  Tsekou,    225  ;  as 

hunters,   227 ;    warlike    reputation,     294 ; 

vocabularies,  \y^ff. 
Loading,   method   of,    in    Yunnan,    17  ;    in 

Thibet,  249. 
Lochais,  99,  105  ;  writing,  108  ;  vocabularies, 

43  5# 
Lohit,  R.,  245,  352,415- 


464 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Lokai,  see  Lochai. 
,Lola,  vocabulary,  433^ 

Lolos,  49  ;  fear  of  the  camera,  il/.;  MSS., 
58,  63,  67,  87  ;  particulars  concerning, 
6o_^;  vocabularies,  433^;  MS.,  457. 

Loukou,  routes  from,  410. 

Loutses,  branch  of  Lissous,  i8g  ;  as  hunters, 
227  ;  proper,  260  ;  legendary  origin,  261  ; 
other  names,  ib.\  language,  zb.\  parti- 
culars concerning,  262,  263  ;  vocabularies, 
A39f;  446. 

Loutze-Kimg,  R.,  or  Salwen,  dread  of,  150. 

Lysiang-Kiang,  see  Black  River. 


M 


Ma,  General,  28,  31. 

Madagascar,  i  ;  rice  culture  in,  42. 

Malay  Peninsula,  303. 

Malleson,  Colonel,  op.  cit.,  357. 

Mandalay,  English  railway  from,  32,  95. 

Mandoum,  routes  from,  414,  415. 

Manhao,  i  \ff.,  39  ;  observations  at,  361,  365, 
368,  377- 

Manhao,  the  mafou,  75  ;  stabs  the  makotou, 
112;  reappears,  i  53. 

Manhat,  French  e.\plorer,  94. 

Margarj",  murder  of,  129. 

Mark,  M.,  attack  on,  19. 

Massie,  French  explorer,  94. 

Material  for  e.xpedition,  458^^ 

Mekong,  R.,  approach  to,  79,  89  ;  reflections 
on,  94,  121  ;  other  names  for,  97  ;  crossed 
at  Notcha,  95  ;  second  passage  of,  120; 
rejoined  and  crossed  at  Fey-long-kiao, 
151  ;  first  cord  bridge  over,  171  ;  at  Fong- 
Chouan,  192  ;  right  bank  abandoned,  204  ; 
crossed  at  Tsedjrong,  217  ;  the  French 
river,  219  ;  last  bivouac  on,  251  ;  observa- 
tions on,  362,  365,  366,  370^;  routes 
between  the  Salwen,  R.  and,  410,  411. 

Meng-hua-ting,  valley  and  plain  of,  125; 
observations  at,  373. 

Miaotses,  21,  50,  51  ;  writing,  60. 

Mienning,  no;  observations  at,  363,  372; 
routes  from,  409. 

Minchias,  129,  137,  159;  vocabulary,  439# 

Mines,  coal,  7  ;  copper,  55 ;  silver  and 
copper  near  Ouei-ten,  194  ;  near  Tachin, 
408,  411. 


Miris,  352. 
Mishniis,  343  ; 
443//- 

2  G 


at   Sadiya,  353  ;  vocabulary, 


Missionaries,  at  Mongtse,  20;  at  Tali-Fou, 
lyiff.;  at  Ouisi,  201  ;  at  Tsekou,  220^; 
author's  debt  to  French,  24S. 

Moam,  plain  of,  294,  29S  ;  inhabitants  of, 
303  ;  identified,  305. 

Mogaung,  or  Mogaum,  320. 

Money,  iS,  23,  141,  248,  294. 

Mong-ie-tsin-Ho  R.,  406. 

Mong-ka,  Roux's  divergence  to,  103,  109  ; 
observations  at,  363,  365,  371  ;  routes  from, 
408. 

Mong-pan,  Roux's  divergence  to,  103,  109  ; 
observations  at,  371  ;  routes  from,  407. 

Mongtse,  arrival  at,  19  ;  details  concerning, 
24  ;  market,  ib.  ;  trade,  31,  32  ;  climate, 
iJi  ;  p'ague,  ib.  ;  departure  from,  35  ;  ob- 
servations at,  361,  395,  368. 

Mossos,  first  met,  200;  particulars  of,  210, 
211;  writing,  212;  government,  213; 
relations  with  the  missionaries,  215  ;  visit 
to  their  chief,  ib.  ;  sorcery,  216;  vocabu- 
lary, 439#  ;  MSS.,  448# 

Mouke,  native  tally,  169. 

Muong-le,  reached,  73  ;  trade  at,  75  ;  ob- 
servations at,  362,  365,  370  ;  routes  from, 
406. 

Musical  instruments,  49,  91,  191,  196. 

Mussulman,  tolerance,  31  ;  population  at 
Tali,  137  ;  war,  traces  of  the,  48,  119,  126  ; 
end  oi  do.,  129. 

My-le-kiang,  R.  (Mali-kha),  west  branch  of 
Irawadi,  410. 


N 


Nam,  5,  68,  73,  100,  107,  251,  267,  286,  349. 

Nam  Dapha,  R.,  343  ;  observations  on,  376. 

Nam  Dihing,  R.,  342,  345  ;  valley  of,  346  ; 
confluence  with  Brahmaputra,  350  ;  ob- 
servations on,  376. 

Nam-kiou,  R.,  crossed,  310  ;  other  name  for, 
ib.  ;  branch  of  Irawadi,  ib.  ;  observations 
on,  376  ;  route  on,  415. 

Nam  Lang,  R.,  330. 

Nam  Phungan,  R.,  337  ;  observations  on, 
376. 

Nam  Tsam,  R.,  297. 

Nanking,  129,  160. 

Nan-Ting-Ho,  R.,  affluent  of  Salwen,  409. 

Natural  history,  418^^ 

Needham,  Mr.,  English  Political  Agent  at 
Sadiya,  350,  351  ;  hospitality  of,  353. 


Neris,  French  explorer,  94. 


465 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Nesous,  akin  to  I.olos,  6i,  2ro. 

Nestorians,  208. 

Neydu,  or  Telo,  R.,  2S2  ;  feeder  of  Irawadi, 

289.     See  Kiou-kiang. 
Nilung-Ho,  R.,  affluent  of  Black  R.,  406. 
Ninglou,  Singpho,  chief  at,  350,  352. 
N'Mai-Kha,  R.,  east  branch  of  Irawadi,  410. 


O 


Odenthal,  traveller,  2. 

Opium,  monopoly  at  Laokay,  8  ;  effects  of, 

12,   87,    III  ;    smoking,    100,   329;    as    a 

drink,  322. 
Ouei-yuen,  route  Mong-ka  to   Pou-eul-Fou, 

wrongly  placed  in  maps,  408. 


Padao,  or  Putau,  capital  of  Khamti  315,  316  ; 

observations  at,  378- 
Pais,  48  ;  particulars  concerning,  59,  60,  gi  ; 

vocabulary,  433^  ;  do.,  Chui,  4ZS  ff- 
Panlian,  village  in  Khamti,  325. 
Paper  making,  226. 
Papien,  R.,  70. 
Pavie,  M.,  Mission,  2,  21 ;  news  of,  at  Muong- 

le,  74,  219. 
Pemachou,  Mt.,  261,  271. 
Pdse,  trade  through,  135. 
Petroleum,  7. 

Petsen,  or  Lamasjen,  vocabulary',  439^ 
Piao-tsen,  cord  bridge  over  Mekong,  171  ; 

observations  at,  373. 
Pikiang,  R.,  150. 
Pirates,  9,  12,  21,47,  '21. 
Plants,  426^ 

Pochan,  109  ;  obser\-ations  at,  371. 
Poisoned,  eggs,  iSl  ;  arrows,  192,  408. 
Pou-eul-Fou,  52,  136  ;  route  to  Burmah  from, 

408. 
Poulas,  15  ;  vocabulary,  433^ 
Poumans,  query  Kachins,  410. 
Pou    Mas.   akin   to    Pais,    107  ;   vocabulary, 

435# 


R 


Railway,    Burmah    to   China,    32  ;   do.,   95 

at  IJibruyarh,  325. 
"  Red  Hats,"  the,  207,  234,  264. 


Red  River,  or  Song-Coi,  ascent  of,  7,  8  ; 
followed,  1 7  ;  crossed,  40  ;  comse  resumed, 
M  ff-\  basin  of,  125,  135;  observations 
on,  361,  362,  365,  368,  369. 

Reunnam,  R.,  294  ;  observations  on,  375. 

Rhinoceros,  75,  333. 

Rochill,  219. 

Rotin,  district,  246. 


Sadiya,  English  frontier  station,  348 ;  reached, 

351- 

Salt,  as  exchange,  32  :  workings,  149  ;  want 
of,  302  ;  value  in  Khamti,  322. 

Salwen,  R.,  approach  to  basin  of,  153;  in- 
salubrity of,  155;  other  names  for,  156, 
194  ;  on  English  map,  ib.  ;  crossed,  264  ; 
scenery  on,  265  ;  observations  on,  375  ; 
route  between  Mekong  R.  and,  410,  411. 

Sanguias-kiendzang,  245,  252. 

Sao,  5,  23,  57,73.93.  "7,  121,  163. 

Secret  societies,  13I. 

Se-kiang,  R.,  affluent  of  Mekong,  crossed, 
105  ;  observations  at,  371  ;  route  from 
confluence  of,  408. 

Seran-Seli,  281,  285,  290,  308,  335. 

Setchuen,  55,  135,  159,  265. 

Sha-ha-te,  routes  from,  406. 

Shans,  loi,  104. 

Siam,  94. 

Siao-kiang,  R.,  erroneously  called  the 
Yanj;-pi,  121 ;  crossed,  122;  recrossed,  148. 

Singleng,  last  Khamti  village,  328. 

Singphos,  same  as  Kachins,  323  ;  first  met, 
344  ;  relations  with  English,  352  ;  vocabu- 
lary, 443# 

Slaves,  195,  352,  354. 

Song-Bo,  R.,  73. 

Song-Coi,  R.,  or  Red  R.,  ascent  of,  8  ; 
crossed,  40 ;  course  followed,  47^^  ; 
scenery  on.  51. 

Songs,  Pai,  91  ;  Lamasjen,  179  ;  Lissou,  198  ; 
Thibetan,  238^ 

Sorcery,  Lissou,  200  ;  Mosso,  216  ;  Kioutse, 
263. 

Soulie,  Father,  217. 

Ssumao,  from  Mongtse  main  road  to,  36  ; 
approach  to,  82  ;  stay  at,  84,^  ;  observa- 
tions at,  362,  365,  366,  370,  377  ;  routes 
from,  407. 

Sugar-cane,  press,  325. 

Suicide,  181,  201,  225. 


466 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Tachin-iao,  Chinese  village,  104  ;  English 
traveller  at,  ib. 

Ta-Ian,  36. 

Talap,  353  ;  tea  plantation  at,  354. 

Tali-Fou,  3  ;  approach  to,  126  ;  history  of, 
\2<^ff.\  trade  of,  135;  fertility  of  plain, 
138  ;  observations  at,  363,  365,  366,  373, 
378. 

Tattooing,  among  the  Pais,  92  ;  Kioutses, 
263. 

Ta-yang-ka,  routes  from,  406. 

Tea,  136  ;  culture  in  Assam,  353,  354. 

Teki,  189. 

Telo,  or  Neydu,  R.,  289.     See  Kiou-Kiang. 

Terrace,  Father,  murder  of,  131. 

Terrien  de  la  Couperie,  op.  cit.,  210. 

Thais,  303  ;  in  Khamti,  321. 

Theebaw,  King,  311. 

Theodolite,  stolen,  178. 

Thibetan,  natives  first  sighted,  200 ;  Sup- 
pliants, 217  ;  Buddhism,  208  ;  traditions, 
230 ;  customs,  235,  236  ;  fables,  237  ; 
songs,  238^  ;  contrast  to  Chinese,  249  ; 
vocabular)',  443^ 

Thibet  Mission,  201,  224. 

Tien-eul-tsin,  salt  workings,  149. 

Tigers,  dread  of,  64,  73  ;  traces  of,  334,  339, 

347,  348- 

Tin,  13,  14,  98. 

Tintet,  Father,  201. 

Tonkin,  favourable  position  of,  32  ;  acquisi- 
tion by  Dupuy,  94. 

Tonos,  an  ill-favoured  tribe,  173  ;  vocabu- 
lary, 439^. 

Toulong,  routes  from,  413,  414. 

Toulong-remai,  R.,  or  Kiou-Kiang  {q-i'-), 
272,413,  414. 

Toussou,  of  Loukou,  159;  office  of,  162; 
government  under  Chinese,  184. 

Trade,  at  Laokay,  8  ;  at  Manhao,  14  ;  at 
Mongtse,  31,  32  ;  at  Muong-le,  75  ;  at 
Tali-Fou,  135  ;  at  Atentse,  242. 

Treaty,  of  Pekin,  202  ;  of  Tien-tsin,  223. 

Tsang,  Mts.,  marble  from,  136;  their 
dangers,   137. 

Tsang-po,  R.,  245  ;  valley,  351,  352. 

Tsarong,  241,  242,  245,  255. 

Tsedjrong,  rope  bridge  over  Mekong,  217  ; 
chief  of,  223,  250. 


Tsekou,  3  ;  approach  to,  217  ;  sojourn  at, 
i2off.  ;  mission  at,  220  ;  Christianity  at, 
222  ;  industries  of,  226  ;  native  customs 
at,  229  ;  observations  at,  374. 

Tsen,  viceroy,  129,  130. 

Tulong.  province  of,  8,  g. 


V 

Vial,  Father,  attack  on,  20. 
Vocabularies,  432_^. 
Vultures,  snaring,  228. 


W 


Walker,  General,  map  of  Thibet,  cit.,  378. 
Watershed,   between    Mekong   and   Sahven 

Rs.,  167. 
Woman's  realm,  1 1 . 
Woodland  deity,  worship  of,  79. 
Woodthorpe,  Colonel,  visit  to  Khamti,  323  ; 

415;  guide  of,  346 ;  observations  of,  367,  378. 


Writing,  Mosso,  212. 


Xien-ho(u)ng,  or  Kiang-hung,  70,  75  :  pro- 
spective English  rail  towards,  95. 


V 


Yang-pi,  R.,  wrongly  named,    121  ;  crossed, 

122  ;  recrossed,  148. 
Yaos,    or   Lintindjous,    47,    50  ;  vocabulary, 

see  Yayo. 
Yayo,  vocabulary,  433_^ 
Yetche,  209  ;  mokoua  of,  2\2ff.  ;  confines  of, 

213;  visit   to   chief  of,    215  :    its   ulterior 

results,  269,  272. 
Yuen-kiang,  36,  55. 
Yiinchou,    118;  observations   at,    363,    372; 

routes  from,  409. 
Yun-Long-cheou,  routes  from,  409. 
Yunnan,  natives  of,  50,  51,  61  ;  travellers  in 

85  ;  mountains  of,  91  ;    climate  of  S.W. 

389  ;  tfo.,  N.W.,  405. 
Yiinnan-sen,  23,  35,  75,  91  ;  lake  of,  125. 


467 


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